War
by Apprentice08
Summary: Kat returns from college to find that not much has changed except for one thing... Stretch and his interest in her But when old problems from his past threaten to ruin their new future together can Stretch step up or will everything be lost. New Summery!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: IDK I am kind of tired out of writing Teen Titan fics. And I love Casper, Stretch is my favorite. So why not. This will be an interesting story. No clue where it is going. **

**Chapter 1 **

**Homecoming**

Kat leaned out the taxi car's window and looked at the hills, so large and thick, full of trees and the secret paths that her and Casper had created when she was younger.

Kat Harvey had been away from Whipstaff for almost five whole years. College had taken its toll, but she was back now for a little while until she decided where she wanted to go next.

New York or maybe L.A. Until then it would be great being back in the small Maine town. Maybe she and her father and her could go and get dinner tonight.

Kat sat back in her seat and thought about it, the last time she was here had been during the autumn, and Casper had been so happy to have her back. They had hung out and caught up and Kat had been glad to find nothing was weird or awkward, she only hoped this time it would be the same.

Finally they turned off the main road onto a road that was not paved, it was covered in grass and the only way to know where the road was, was to keep your car tires on the small ruts in the ground. After about twenty minutes of a steep incline, Kat stared out the window again and found they had reached the peak of the hill and now she could look out over the quiet town below.

Smiling she looked out the front window and her heart leaped when she saw the huge towering building of Whipstaff Manor up ahead.

"Home." Was all she could think as the Taxi approached.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dr. Harvey watched out the window, and a small smile formed on his face when he saw the taxi come over the hill down the drive. He let the lace-curtain fall as he turned and left the room. Exiting the library, Dr. Harvey yelled, "CASPER SHE'S BACK!"

He heard crash from the attic and then through the ceiling a white floating powder puff flew and landed next to him. "Really?" Casper asked eagerly.

"Go see her." He said softly smiling.

Casper smiled and flew off down the hall. It may have taken Dr. Harvey two years to notice that Amelia had been flirting with him, but even a blind man could see how strongly in love Casper was with Kat. Even the ghostly trio had noticed and took great pleasure in teasing the poor spirit.

Not to say Kat didn't return the love, but Dr. Harvey knew that Kat could never love Casper the way he loved her, Kat saw Casper as a best friend and nothing more. It made him sad that the poor boy would have to deal with his feelings someday.

Dr. Harvey reached for a cane; which was in an umbrella stand, he had been using the cane as of late. Since he had fallen from the roof last winter when Casper had begged him to hang some Christmas lights. He had busted his leg, and now he could barely move it some days.

It took a little longer then he would have liked, but Dr. Harvey finally reached the stairs. The door was already open and Casper was flying quickly in and out dropping Kats bags in the center of the large circular entryway.

"I can't wait to go up into the attic, I have so many things to tell you! You will love it and I learned how to make this new soufflé, but the best thing is the surprise I have for you out in the back of the Manor…" Casper stopped rambling when Kat stepped over the manor's threshold and she looked up at her father. His heart skipped a beat and a tear came to his eye.

"Well…" he said having to clear his throat, "You've definitely grown since I last saw you…" She smiled and ran up the stairs towards her dad. Casper smiled and took the bags; he floated away, heading for Kat's old room, letting Kat and her dad catch up.

Dr. Harvey took Kat in his arms and hugged her tightly, "Oh Kat, I 've missed you so much." He said softly.

"I missed you to dad." Dr. Harvey let Kat pull away, "Ok now, let me have a look at you." He said eye balling her.

He felt his heart melt; she had grown up and become just as beautiful as her mother. Long, thick dark brown hair, her soft brown eyes and wide warm smile. She had definitely become a woman while she had been away. She was full and well rounded and her father could tell that a lot had happened emotionally and physically while she had been away.

"Come on, let's hit the kitchen… milk and cookies?" he said smiling.

"We haven't done that since I was like sixteen…"

Her dad looked to her and raised an eyebrow, "Has your age ever stopped our traditions?"

"Good point." Kat said remember he had still kissed her good night when she was a senior in high school.

She turned and started to walk down the stairs, Dr. Harvey took it a step at a time and when Kat reached the bottom he was only half way down. She turned around about ready to say something with a big smile on her face, however the smile quickly faded when she saw the cane and the expression of slight pain on her fathers face.

"Dad? Are you alright?" Kat asked furrowing her brow.

"Huh? Oh what? The cane? Don't think anything of it. I fell off the roof a while back and broke this sorry excuse of a leg. I am fine, it just gets stiff every once and a while. Nothing a hot pack can't deal with. Come on." He had finally reached the bottom and now walked slowly across the entryway with Kat holding onto his arm.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Casper eventually floated down and joined them, and soon the three were talking and laughing and reminiscing. Along the way the talking led to Kat's college and how it had been, the things she had learned and what she planned to do next.

"Are you going to get a job down in the town?" Casper asked hopefully.

"Well…" Kat glanced at her dad whose eyes darted back and fourth between her and the ghost, obviously he was leaving it up to her to tell him.

"That is, I don't know yet, but I was thinking of… maybe…. Going to a big city. Someplace I could really get things up and running. Maybe even California."

"But, Kat, that's… clear across the country." Casper said sounding shocked.

Kat nodded and spoke softly, "Like I said though, I'm not sure where I want to go just yet. I will be here for a year or two probably before I know for sure."

Casper's smile returned and he darted towards the ceiling, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I have to show you want I made, be right back!"

"Honey… when are you going to tell him?"

Kat blushed and looked down at her ring finger, the diamond ring was not very large, but it was beautiful.

"I'll tell him dad… it just… might take a while." She slid her hand off the table and stood up, "I'm gunna go un-pack. See you here for supper?"

"I thought maybe we could go into town," her dad said.

"Sure, sounds great… I'll buy." Kat said smiling slyly.

"Over my dead body." Her father said smiling.

"I heard that Casper said reentering the room, "And I am highly offended he said with fake sincerity.

The three laughed and Kat and Casper headed for her room.

**A/n: I know it isn't very interesting right now. But give it a chapter or two, you won't regret reading on. I promise. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/n: I hope you enjoyed chapter one, here is chapter two!**

**Chapter 2**

**The boys are back in town**

Stretch, Stinky, and Fatso hovered high above Whipstaff Manor, "How long we been gone Fatso?" Stretch asked looking up at the sky.

"Mmmmm bought two weeks." He said glancing at the leader of their little trio, and then back to the little piece of cloud that was slowly floating past.

The clouds moved lazily around them, Stretch was hanging hammock style from a small batch, floating and swinging as he contemplated.

"Got an idea?" Stinky asked perking up; he sat on the very edge looking down on the Earth below.

"Maybe, I just realized sometin' ain't the doc's goody two-shoes daughter s'posed to be coming home today?"

"Yeah, so what?" Fatso said as he took a piece of cloud and attempted to eat it, he spit it back out and scratched his stomach.

"Well, we haven't seen the little toad stool since she was Casper's precious sweet heart. Why not pay the unruly daughter of our competent doctor, and lonely heart neighphew a visit. We can reacquaint her with the closet."

Stretch was still swinging and he waited patiently for the unison, Ooooooh, of his two brothers to chime in.

When it did he smiled an evil smile as the other two laughed hysterically.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kat walked the halls of Whipstaff, she tried to recall all of the secret passages and the places her and Casper had gone to sit and talk, play cards or board games and even the little compartments where she stored some of her most secret and personal possession.

She had been so young; growing up here had really changed her views on a lot of things. Especially the super natural. Her dad had changed more so then her however, but it had been for the better not the worse.

Growing up with the ghostly trio hadn't been easy, especially when they teased her about her body or her clothes, or even her make up. She had been so insecure about herself her. The ghostly trio had always known exactly what so say to get under her skin.

Kat had been relieved they had not been here her first day back, she had already walked the Manor a dozen times, visited the grounds and gone into the town a few times, not a single Stretch, Fatso, or Stinky for miles.

Finally she had reached her destination, Kat bent down and reached behind a suit of armor, gently she pushed the right calf piece in and a small door opened right next to her face. Kat smiled and reached inside.

Casper had showed her this small secret panel long ago when the ghostly trio had snagged her journal. They had been reading it like poetry and acting out everything. Needless to say her father had been red in the face. After she had got it back a small war had raged over the little purple book until finally Casper had showed her this panel. He had been a life savor that day.

Kat pulled out the book, it didn't look to bad, a little water logged but then again this house was old. She opened it and read the first entry. She smiled, Wow, Carrigen was in the 1st entry, this book was SO old. She read a little further and laughed, Dibbs, such a silly little man.

Then she reached the entry about the school's Halloween party, her first but not last kiss with Casper. Her brow furrowed again as it often did when she was confused, scared or worried. She had loved Casper so fiercely when she had been younger.

But now, she looked back, and all it had been was puppy love, child hood sweet hearts. Why did she have to grow up, it would be so easy to just stay a kid. Kat looked at the ring on her finger, she had to tell Casper that she was engaged. The wedding was in five months and she planned to get married out back in the gardens. That is, if Casper would let her, despite what Stretch said, it was Casper's house.

She sighed, Kat had to tell him, but as she put the book back in its little hole she heard a noise that stopped her heart. She stood up and slowly turned around, the windows at the end of the hall burst open and three sets of laughter flew down the hall at her. She slammed the door to her journal's little safe house shut and sprinted down the hall.

"Crap." She said under her breath as she heard the ghostly trio enter through the window way down the hall, "Where is out sweet little Kat?" she heard Stretch call, "Oh kitten, daddies come home!" the three laughed and Stretch gave them orders to split up. Kat jumped down the stairs three and four at a time heading straight for the kitchen, and hopefully her dad.

"DAD!" She yelled.

He was sitting at the table reading the morning paper, "Whoa! What's got you all upset sweat heart? No reception for your phone?" he said smiling.

"No! There back! The stupid ghostly ass holes are back, and they are chasing after me like I'm a chicken with no head." Kat said annoyed, as the trio's laughter echoed through out the manor.

"Oh, well, it's just there welcome home process, I bet they just missed you, that's all…" just then Stinky called, "Come on bone-bag! Time to get a hug from your uncle Stinky!" a belching sound and then some more laughter and Kat looked to her father with wide eyes.

"Look Kat, they still think you're that cute little girl that they scared all the time, just go out there and face them. Show them you are aren't a force to be trifled with…"

"Or you could tell me where you put the vacuum…" Kat said with a weak smile.

"Uh… no, I am pretty sure that would just piss them off." Dr. Harvey said, "Now go and make peace, I am not the middle man any more." He gave her a soft shove towards the doors.

Kat looked back at him with a glare but did as she was told, her father had a point, and if she didn't stand her ground now she never would. Kat threw the doors open and walked into the main entrance coming to a stop in the center of the room, the swirl on the floor made her remember her first night here and her confidence grew.

"YO! PILLOW CASES!" She cried out loudly, "I'm down here!" Silence followed and as Kat looked around she prayed they wouldn't jump out and try and scare her.

_Stand your ground, stand your ground, stand your ground, _repeated itself over and over in her mind.

Then finally, at the top of the stairs she saw them, all three with swords and fancy looking war helmets. "CHARGE THE GIRL!" Stretch cried.

As they all flew down the stairs Kat watched and waited, the swords all were pointed directly at her and for a second she didn't think they would stop. But just as they reached her the ghosts came to a stand still and looked at her.

Stretch looked pissed, "Hey, who da hell are you?" he asked sounding annoyed.

Kat froze and turned her head slightly to the side, narrowing her eyes, "Are you stupid?" she asked.

Stinky was the first to approach, "K-Kat?" he asked looking alarmed.

The girl nodded having an expression of What's-your-deal spread across her face, "Wow… you look… different…" Fatso said glancing up at Stretch who had a blank stare on his face. Stinky and Fatso floated back a little as their leader moved in closer. He gazed her the girl's face and then his eyes slowly moved up and down her body. Kat moved her arms to fold across her chest protectively, for she had noticed his eyes had lingered there for a split second longer then she was comfortable with.

"What da heck happened to you?" he asked sounding like she had ruined some big plan of his by growing up.

"I've been gone for five years, I'm twenty-five years old, and I actually have boobs!" Kat stated angrily, "That's what happened, so you can just forget about scaring me. I don't scare anymore." With that Kat turned on her heel and marched towards the kitchen.

As she disappeared into the other room Stinky said, "Wow, hard to believe the little fleshy grew up."

"Yeah, especially into something as hot as that." Fatso quipped, the two laughed and started to float away, however Stretch hovered in the air, not moving staring at the closed doors that Kat had just disappeared behind.

**A/n: This is setting everything up, Please keep reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Ok, enjoy! **

**Chapter 3**

**Visitation**

Stretch floated back and fourth in his bedroom, his two brothers laid on their beds, Stinky playing with the spider webs, and Fatso looking up at the ceiling.

"Hey Stretch, are we going to stay in our room all day, I feel like we got in trouble with our mother or somtin." Stinky complained.

Stretch ignored him, obviously something was on his mind, his violet eyes searched the floor, shifting quickly back and fourth as he mused and pondered, and then finally he started to shake and he stopped in his spot and screamed, and "Dat's it I can't take it anymore!" he cried.

Fatso and Stinky sat up quickly and looked at their brother, "Can't take what?" Fatso asked.

"Dat disrespectful, callous, ugly little fleshy down stairs! Did you hear how she addressed us?" Stretch yelled.

"Well yeah, but uh… I mean… she has always talked like that… even when she was a kid… right Stink?"

The smelly ghost nodded and looked at Stretch, "Yeah, specially when the runt was around… why's it bothering you so much now?"

Stretched looked at his brothers, "Are you kiddin me? She practically flaunted her…" he stopped and looked at his brothers, "Do you two know what flaunted means?" The other two looked at each other and then back at Stretch, "Something to do with baking right?" Fatso asked.

Stretch flew over and smacked his brothers up side the head, "Why did dad even bother to send you two to school… look never mind I'll be back later you two go scare something, it's the only thing your good for."

Stinky and Fatso watched their brother go and then looked back to each other, "Ya think he's having a break down?" Fatso asked.

"One can only hope." Stinky said. The two sat in silence a moment and then broke out into laughter and floated off.

Stretch flew threw walls and under carpets and past doors and the entire time mumbled and cursed. He was going to set that little brat straight, no one, especially that little Meat bag was going to talk to him that way. If Casper wasn't allowed to, then neither was she.

Stretch stopped at the top of the stairs and looked around, he scanned the entire area and just as he was turning to go the front door opened. Kat strode in wearing a sports bra, shorts and running shoes.

"It isn't fair to race you Casper, you don't need to breath!" Kat exclaimed as Casper hovered in front of her. "Oh it's totally fair." The boy pointed out.

"How so?" Kat asked gasping for air, "Well, I figured if I can get you to run fast enough you will have breathed enough air for the both of us…"

Kat laughed and looked at him, "There is a flaw in that logic somewhere." She stated whipping her face with the towel that had been on her shoulder.

"Yeah, the flaw is dat dead people don't need to run." Stretch answered floating through the handrail of the stairs and through the empty space up to Kat.

"Casper, take off, I need to talk with Miss. Sweat Glands here alone."

"Bu-" However Casper didn't get a chance to finish since his uncle shoved him heatedly through the floor, and possibly all the way to China.

"Hey! Stop that! He wasn't doing anything wrong." Kat snapped throwing the towel on the floor.

"No, but you are." Stretch snapped leaning in and glaring into Kat's eyes.

"What's your problem air bag, since I have come home you have been nothing but aggressive towards me!"

"First off, dis isn't your home, it's my home. I just let you live here, second maybe if you didn't act like such a stuck up fairy tale princess, and you didn't claim to know everything, I wouldn't be so aggressive towards you little Miss. Mouth!" Stretch hollered back.

Kat took a step forward and in return Stretch lifted his fist, "This house belongs to Casper, he just lets YOU live here because he actually cares about you you ugly floating snot bubble! And I certainly never claimed to know everything!" Kat started to storm away, heading for the basement and possibly Professor McFadden's secret lab.

"You claimed to know more den _**me**_!" Stretch hollered after her.

"That's because I do you ugly bag of hot air…" Kat murmured under her breath. But it was not as inaudible as she had thought, for before she knew what was happening she was flying through the air and she ended up in a closet. The door slammed shut and the light came on, it was dim and it blinked off and on.

"Oh you horrible, egotistical, loathsome, piece of trash! Let me out of here!" Kat bellowed.

"Not until your retract your claim you rotting bag of meat!" Stretch said. Kat spun around and was shocked to see Stretch was actually in the locked closet with her.

"You know, I remember last time you locked me in here you stayed on the outside…." Kat said glancing at the door.

"Well maybe dis time I want to watch you suffer." Stretch said angrily, "Now take back what you said. No way in hell are you smarter den me."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" Stretch seethed.

"Alright, prove it." Kat said folding her arms across her chest and taking a stance.

"What?" Stretch asked in a voice of disbelief.

"Prove you are smarter then me…"

Stretch just looked at her, a blank expression on his face, and once again Kat noticed his eyes. They wondered, from her eyes to her face and then her chest, her hips and thighs her feet and back up. They moved slowly and deliberately and for a second Kat saw something, but she was sure she was mistaken.

Kat cleared her throat, Stretch seemed to come back to reality and his face contorted back into it's angry glare, "I don't need to prove something I know is da truth you little…"

Kat held up a hand, "If your can logically prove you are smarter then me, then I will admit to everyone that you are the superior thinker…. If you can't prove it, I am not going to take back anything I said." Kat said, she gave him a challenging glare and Stretch couldn't' help but let an evil smile creep across his face. Kat dropped her arms slowly and took a step back, her brow furrowed, Stretch only got that look when he had a plan.

"Ok blood bank, here is a good bargain. If I can prove I am smarter by next Monday, you not only have to admit I am more intelligent, you have to do the most horribly disgusting, rancid thing I can think of…"

Kat narrowed her eyes and asked, "What's that?"

"You have to come back into dis closet, and, you have to kiss me."

Kat sank back into the wall and Stretch crossed his arms triumphantly over his chest, "Den again, we can forgo the humility, disgust and of course your bitter defeat by simply saying I am da smarter being right now."

Kat bit her tongue, kissing Stretch? That would definitely be the most horrible experience she had ever had to face, not to mention she had a fiancé. But then again, what was Kat worried about. Stretch was smarter then Fatso and Stinky, but not smarter then her. He had been dead for so long who knew if he even knew what year it was. Kat let her fear fall behind her inner wall and she took a step forward, Stretch's face was only inches from her own. She could feel his cold breath on her face.

"Okay, I accept, but lets make this a double wager, if I end up winning, you have to admit I am the smarter on, and you… have to kiss Stinky… on the lips…"

"Deal!" Stretch said, he flew away through the door and it flung open allowing Kat to walk out with a smug smile on her face.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Stretch laid on his bed, his hands behind his head, in his mind images of Kat. He saw her, and glanced over her body again. So beautiful, just like her mother. She had so much fire hidden in those eyes, her bosom had grown, she had curves, and her butt was tight and round and firm. Long sexy legs. Good lord, Stretch couldn't get over it. She had most definitely changed, and grown up. But what really bugged Stretch the most was her spirit.

When Kat had been a kid she always stood up for Casper but if Stretch ever yelled she always backed down. Now as a woman, Kat stood toe to toe against him. Not that Stretch had toes, he could admit it in his head, she was probably smarter then him on current issues, but in others areas he would leave her behind, confused in the dust.

She fired insults right back, and Stretch was pulled back to a long time ago, when Kat first came. They had fired insults back at each other over breakfast.

"You guys are disgusting, obnoxious, creeps!" Kat had said loudly.

The ghostly trio had blushed and responded with a chipper, "Tank you!"

Then Kat and Stretch had really gotten into it.

"I mean, what's your problem, you should clean the floor!"

"Hey, shut up skin bag!" Stretch had snapped back

"Piss off!" Kat bit back.

"Take a hike!"

"Get a grave!"

Stretch had growled at her angrily, had the doc not pulled her away he would have plowed her with left over chunks of food.

The memory made Stretch smile an evil smile, the perfect revenge would be to make the little bag of meat admit his intelligence over her own and then the kiss. Her humility would be complete. Stretch laughed out loud his high-pitched shriek and started to plan the perfect test.

OOOOOO

Kat watched Casper sail around the ceiling of the cave, as Casper had started to recently call it. Her mind was not with him as he talked and talked about games of pirates and baseball and his father.

She was thinking about what had happened earlier, if she failed she would have to kiss Stretch. Part of her was excited, and another part dreaded it. Stretch found her repulsive in everyway, which made Kat wonder why he had brought up the whole kissing thing. Maybe he planned to belch in her mouth, or even blind fold her and have her kiss Stinky instead. The idea made her gag.

Still, Kat couldn't ignore the small amount of excitement that was growing in the pit of her stomach, she wondered if he was a good kisser.

**A/n: It's kinda slow and awfully rushed, I just dished out three chapters in like 45 minutes. I don't know, I hope you enjoy. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n: 5 am, can't sleep, so hot and sweaty…. But u didn't need to know that…. chapter 4 here we go! **

**Chapter 4**

**Running water**

Stinky, was not the brightest of the brothers, but he was smarter then a rodent. And he knew something was up with Stretch, ever since Kat had come home Stretch had been quiet, and their fun games of who can scare who better had almost all but stopped. Stinky would find Stretch sitting or floating somewhere in the house, mumbling to himself. Always in deep thought, eyes looking cold and hard and empty.

Finally, Stinky saw no other choice but to go to the only person that Stretch had actually been talking to.

"Uh, Dr. Harvey?" Stinky called into the library.

"Oh hello Stinky, come in, come in, what can I do for you, your appointment with me isn't for another three hours."

"Well Doc, it's just… I know you been havin private sessions with Stretch… I was just curious…. Can… would you, please dat is, tell me what is on my brother's mind?"

Dr. Harvey looked from the book he was shelving over to the youngest of ghostly brothers. He sighed and walked slowly to his chair, leaning on the cane that he was still trying to get used to. Stinky had his hands behind his back, his head looked down and his golden eyes looked not so much sad, but confused.

"He's never been dis crazy silent before, it's almost like he's got something going in his head, gears are turning but notins happenin. Kinda like Fatzo when he sees large amounts of food."

Even the doc had to chuckle at that last comment, "Well Stinky, I do know what is troubling your brother, but I'm afraid I can't tell you."

Stinky's head jerked up and he gave the doc an angry look, "And why is dat?" he spat out the words as if it they leaving a good taste in his mouth.

"Doctor patient confidentiality. That's why. I can't reveal any of the things your brother tells me in here. If you want to know you will have to confront him yourself… Sorry Stink…"

The ghost looked at him and growled angrily, he flew out of the room at lighting speed leaving a mess as he went. He searched all over and finally found Stretch standing at a window, the window they had entered the first night back. His hands were behind his back and he just stared out the window.

Stinky charged and just as he reached for his brother's shoulder Stretch reached around grabbed Stinky's wrist and flung him into the window. Stinky sailed straight through and then glided heatedly back in to stand next to his brother.

"When we were alive you couldn't sneak up on me, what makes us being dead any different." Stretch didn't even look at him.

"Stretch, dis has gone to far! I'm board out of my mind, and all you been doing dis past week is floating around like an empty soul. You snap at us more den usual and on top of dat we haven't even been able to scare someone for over tree whole days! Give it less den a month and I guarantee our scare record will be capote!"

Stretch looked to his brother and Stinky saw something in those violet eyes he hadn't seen in a long time.

Stinky went to yell, but the air escaped him, his shoulders sagged and his arms hung out on front of him, Stinky glanced up at his brother, "You got a ting for the flesh bag don't ya."

Stretch looked to him, "Not exactly, a ting yes, if your expecting love, den no… it's complicated."

"Please, I'm begging, tell me so's I can help you! We won't ever get on with our after life, or any life or no life if you keep standin around like dis."

"Stinky, don't be an idiot, I place you higher in intelligence then Fatso. You two keep scarin with out me. When I am true I will come back and scare some more wit ya. You two don't need me to lead all da time… right?"

"Stretch, listen to yourself, we are da Ghostly Trio! You can't be the Ghostly TRIO with only two ghosts!"

"You two don't need me right now, your just to scared to go out on your own… try leadin for once Stink… you might like it."

With that Stretch disappeared into the air, Stinky looked after him and yelled, "Your being a real piece o' work you know dat!" Stinky went in search for Fatso, maybe he could talk some sense into Stretch.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Turning invisible was a very easy way to escape from his brother's tormenting words. Stretch knew he was pushing Stinky a little to hard, he was the youngest brother and there for he was the most attached to the way things were. Stretch, having been the oldest even over J.T. by one year, knew very well that change happens, sometimes it permanent and sometimes it's not. But change can be good, Stinky taking up the lead for a little bit would do nothing more then strengthen his spirit. Stretch chuckled at the joke.

He had not been paying attention and found himself lost in mist, he then finally allowed himself to become fully aware of his surroundings and realize he was in the bathroom. He slowly turned his head and saw that Kat was brushing her hair.

Stretch floated there motionless and even though he knew it was wrong he could not look away. Kat was wearing jean shorts that cut off at just the perfect length to look sexy and cute but not slutty, no shirt and a bright red lace bra. As she brushed her hair she hummed. Stretch knew the song, he had watched from the ceiling as his nephew and Kat had danced to it, holding each other.

Finally she set the brush down, and then reached up behind her back to undo her bra. Stretch's eyes darted from the face in the mirror his her hands, and then to the small amount of bra he could see up front. She was turned away so he mostly saw the side of it.

Then with out warning she turned and it fell to the ground, Stretch got a full view and he raised his knuckle up to his mouth to bite on it. He winced and started to slowly float back towards the wall he had come from. He was trying with all his might to not go over and touch her. She leaned down and turned the bath water on and then turned on the showerhead.

Then as she adjusted the temperature she took one of her wet hands on rubbed her shoulder. Stretch reached hand out as if to message her and he quickly drew back when she stood up. Stretch watched in delight and horror as she started to undo her shorts. This was too much, Stretch started to go but then she spoke.

"I know your there…"

Stretch froze and glanced slowly back at the girl, she turned to look directly at him, "After all these years I didn't think I could but I can still sense when a ghosts enters a room… if I am all alone that is."

She just stood there indecently exposing herself, slowly she reached her hand out, "I never thought you would actually, I don't know what to say… I mean your still only twelve, but then I guess just because your twelve in looks, sort of anyway, doesn't mean your still mentally twelve… does it?"

Stretch thought his eyes were going to blow from his sockets, she though he was Casper! He started to back away, "You can leave if I made you to uncomfortable, but if you like, you can stay and watch."

Stretch froze and couldn't believe what he was hearing, "I know I can't stop myself from aging, and I am sorry we have grown apart Casper, but, at least you know I still care."

She reached out for him again, Stretch didn't know what to do, he knew his hand was too big to be Casper's, and he couldn't imitate the little bulbous's voice. Finally Stretch made a decision; if he was going to be caught he was going to be by his own terms.

"Sorry to surprise you dame, but dis ain't your puffy pillow case." Stretch let himself be visible and Kat flew back in shock. She landed on the floor and quickly looked around for a towel. She covered up and stared at the ghost in disbelief.

"You- you-oh my god you pervert!" Kat cried.

"Hey honey, I wasn't da one soliciting a free peep show to a twelve year old… a dead twelve year old… what are you some kinda freaky necrophiliac?"

Kat stood, holding the towel closer to her but staring down Stretch at the same time, "Get. Out." She said forcefully.

"Not just yet doll, I figured out the perfect way to prove who is smarter."

Kat had been about to say something else, but she stopped and look to Stretch, how?"

Stretch's smirk spread into that evil full smile and Kat look at him with un ease.

"A simple chess game." Stretch said, "It had logic, strategy, natural ability to focus and think ahead, it's perfect."

Kat had to agree, it was pretty good, and she wasn't too bad at chess, why not.

"Alright, done."

"Good, the rules are two out of three wins, we start Monday at noon." With that he disappeared into the wall leaving Kat standing there naked.

**A/N: What you think? Who is the real perv Kat or Stretch? R&r**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ok, so I raised the rating, I doubt it will get that bad, but I just don't want to take any chances. I hope any who are reading this is enjoying it. I know I am loving writing it. **

**Chapter 5**

**Advice seeker**

Kat walked down the hall and opened a door on the right; she looked up the set of stairs and started her slow climb. She heard a choo-choo from the toy train that wound lazily around the ceiling. When she reached the top, she walked through the main attic and was surprised to see the back room, furthest away from the stairs, had its door wide open.

"Casper?" she called softly.

"Hey Kat! I'm in here!" He called.

Kat walked through the door, having to stoop down low to make it through with out hitting her head. "Looks just like I remember." She said looking around at all the toys and colors and even the smell was the same. Dust and wood.

"So, what's up Kat, have you come to visit me in my loneliness?" Kat giggled at Casper's whoa is me face and started to mess with a tiny toy soldier that was marching back and fourth on a small wooden crate.

"No, I came, I mean, I missed you."

Casper had been tossing a ball up in the air and as he looked at her in surprise it dropped through his hand and hit the floor.

"You missed me?" he asked surprised.

"Of course I did." She said bending down to pick up the baseball.

"We've barely had any time together…" she stopped and looked at the window.

Walking over she looked outside to see Stinkie talking to Fatso; she couldn't understand what they were saying but Stinkie looked like he was under duress. He flung his arms up in the hard and Fatso looked at him shaking his head. Kat turned back to Casper who had been looking at her this whole time.

"Kat, we have seen each other almost everyday, what's going on? What is really on your mind?"

"Is that your way of telling me your getting tired of seeing me?" she said turning away from the window.

"Never." Casper said smiling .

Kat's smile slowly disappear and for a second she slowly looked Casper over. Looking at Casper's soft blue eyes and thinking about what had happened in the bathroom earlier, she felt horribly ashamed. Casper would never have wanted that… she looked away from him and felt a tear in her eye. Casper had never seen her as just a piece of meat, he respected her way to much to ever use her like that.

"Whoa whoa whoa… Kat, what's wrong?" Casper said, concern filling his voice, he quickly flew over and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Nothing I just… there is something I wanted to tell you… I just don't know if I can. I want to though." She put her hand over Casper's and even though she could barely feel anything at all but coldness she gained comfort.

"Kat, I know you been away for a long time, but I also know that you are my best friend. And I hope you consider me your best friend. You can tell me anything, and I swear I won't ever, could NEVER think less of you."

Kat turned and looked into Casper's eyes and for a moment she felt like a kid again, just him and her back when things were simple and she wasn't so crazy.

Kat sighed and pulled Casper out into the main attic, she sat him down on an old trunk and kneeled before him.

She had to take another deep breath before she could wrap her brain around the idea that she was going to tell Casper.

"Ok, you know how your uncle Stretch and I have been butting head lately?" Casper nodded listening patiently.

"Well, the other day when Stretch wanted to speak with me alone, he offered me a challenge. And being a proud stubborn idiot I accepted."

It was not Casper's turn to look uncertain and he turned his head slightly, "Go on." he said calmly.

"The deal was, if I could prove I was smarter then him he had to admit it in front of all of you, I mean, me, my dad you and his brothers… and he had to kiss your uncle Stinkie."

Casper looked at her for a moment and then started to laugh harder then Kat had ever seen him laugh. "You're my hero." Casper said in the spaces between his laughing fit.

"But, Casper, if I lost and he beat me, I had to admit to everyone that your uncle is smarter then me… and…"

Casper stopped smiling and looked to her, "And what Kat?"

"I have to kiss him."

"Stinkie?" Casper asked making a disgusted face, "No, your uncle Stretch."

For a long moment Casper just stared at her, and then, "Well that's easy enough. Just prove your smarter, we both know you are." Casper started to float back to his toy room, "Wait. Your not mad?" she asked standing.

"No, not even worried, I know your smarter then him. He maybe the brains behind everything they do, but is everything my uncles do smart?" Kat thought about that for a moment and then smiled, "I guess your right… it's only chess… thanks Casper." Kat started to turn and walk away but as she headed for the stairs she felt two small hands fling her around, "Did you just say chess?"

Kat nodded, "Yeah, but I agree with you, he is smart but not that smart, I am good at chess."

"No Kat, you don't understand. My uncle Stretch is good at chess…"

Kat smiled, "Come on Casper, we are talking about a ghost that can't get out of a vaccume… I mean I was a little worried but you made your point, I can beat the guy… ghost… what ever."

"No Kat listen, do you remember how my dad was a inventor… I mean yeah of course you do. But I mean do you understand how smart my dad was?"

"A genious, but what does that have to do with any…"

"Uncle Stretch beat my dad at chess every single time they played, it was one of the few things he excelled at besides drinking, gambling and hunting! My dad tried for years to figure out how uncle Stretch beat him, he never could. My uncle always wins at chess, ALWAYS."

Kat's eyes grew wide, "W-wait… that doesn't make any sense! How could your uncle Stretch beat a man as smart as your dad…"

"I don't know but he always did, I remember because my dad always laughed about it…"

Kat felt sick for a moment and recalled the closet, how Stretch had stared at her, how his eyes had practically undressed her as she stood there. Her knees got weak and she leaned up against one of the roofs support beams.

"Crap." She said disbelievingly.

"He chose the one thing he knew he could beat you at, and then he used it to get what he wanted." Casper said.

"My humility… he wants to make me a humble little girl that has no spine, he doesn't like that I stand up for myself and for you."

"I think he may want more then that…" Casper said with a warning tone in her voice.

"What?" Kat asked.

"Your not the first person he has done this to, it's kinda foggy, but I know he has done it before."

"Who has he done it to?"

"He is good at that more then anything else, trapping people like that, cornering them… "

"Who else did he do it to?" Kat asked annoyed, "Come on Casper tell me."

"My mother." Casper said softly, his eyes lifting from the ground and looking up at Kat.

Kat felt herself pale and a chill ran up her spine, "What?"

**A/N: Horray! Next chapter up shortly. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/n: I hope you guys are enjoying this. I made a lot of this chapter up btw; I wanted an original back round so sorry if you don't like it. **

**Chapter 6**

**Sunday Monday**

Kat sat with Casper on the back steps of the manor and over looked the gardens, "So… you're uncle Stretch… he had a thing for your mom?"

Casper looked down as if he was trying to remember, "Yeah, I think so at least. I remember one time I was walk down one of the halls towards my room and I heard them talking. I can't remember much of what was said, but I remember it was obvious he liked her, like really liked her. And I remember mom talking to dad about it. She wanted him out of the house, dad refused, and I remember a fight and then… it goes blank."

Casper looked to Kat, "Uncle Stretch and my dad fought over my mother when they were kids too, I guess she want back and fourth for a long time before my dad popped the question and she said yes. The one thing I do remember was that the only time I ever saw my uncle Stretch truly happy is when ever she was around him. Other then that, I guess, he just kind of gave up on her when he found out I was on the way."

Casper said patting his stomach and softly smiling, Kat smiled too and the couple sat in silence a moment. "Well, I guess I will just have to suck it up and try to beat him."

"And if you can't?" Casper asked looking at Kat with a sad gleam in his eyes.

"I guess I'll have to suck it up, admit he is better then me, and then…" Kat swallowed nervously, "Kiss him."

Casper shivered, "I just hope he isn't doing this for the reason I think he is." Kat didn't nod or say anything, she just sat there, and her stomach felt cold and heavy.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Monday morning Kat woke up feeling nervous and edgy, she didn't bother changing out of her pajamas, for she was to busy thinking about what was to come. Kat was wearing a tank top and pajama pants and felt more comfy in these then if she went down there dressed. She didn't know why, but she figured she should do what ever kept her the most comfortable.

She descended the stairs and eventually made it to the kitchen, she opened the door and was greeted by Casper, her father and the ghostly trio. "Morning honey."

"Morning." She replied in a sleepy tone, "Sleep well?" Casper asked looking at her knowing why she seemed so tired and quiet this morning.

"Not really, kept having bad dreams." She kissed her dad on the top of his head and took her usual seat next to him, "What were they about." Kat glanced at Casper and then to Stretch, he frowned and turned to do his cooking and she glanced back to her dad, "Uh, mom…" Her dad seemed to fall silent and Kat instantly wished she had told her dad the truth. But with the trio right there, the truth would make things very very awkward. The three had looked up at her; she looked away and let her hair fall into her face.

"We can… we can talk about it later sweetie." Her dad said softly.

"Sure." Kat said yawning.

The trio was horking down there food like always and when they finished Stinkie was the first to speak, "I got an idea, come on Fatso… let's go into town for a bit. I bet the bar tender is wondering were all his booze went." Fatso followed the smaller ghost out chuckling.

Everyone including Casper was surprised by this role change and the fact that Stretch had not followed.

"Casper, don't forget to clean all this stuff up." Stretch said, then he floated up through the ceiling with out another word.

"Wow, that was different, since when did Stinkie start calling the shots?" Kat asked looking to her dad.

"Well from what I've gotten out of him in our personal sessions he really just wants the security of knowing his brothers can function with out him. I actually think he is considering crossing over."

Kat spurted milk out and started coughing, "Whoa, jeeze Kat, are you alright?" her dad asked patting her softly on the back.

She nodded between coughs and deep breaths. "Yeah, I'm fine, I just, Stretch crossing over is weird, it wouldn't be the ghostly trio anymore. Not sure how to handle that one." Her dad sat back relaxing, he softly rubbed his knee under the table.

"I don't know, I am kind of doubting his sincerity, I think he just worries more then he likes to let on. Even Stinkie and Fatso have showed signs of wanting to move on but I just don't think any of them can until he does." Kat's dad said pointing at Casper.

The little ghost brought over breakfast and looked at the doc with a strange calmness, "What do you mean Dr. Harvey?"

"I mean, I think YOU are THEIR unfinished business. Until you either move on Casper, or they actually start to show you some kindness, I don't think they will be allowed to move on."

Casper looked at him confused, "But I thought…" before he could finish Stinkie and Fatso came flying back through the door, grabbed some eggs, a huge bottle, and a ring of garlic and flew out again.

"I'm going to go talk to my Uncle, I will be back later. Enjoy breakfast." Casper said setting his chief hat aside and flying up through the ceiling.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Casper floated outside the door to his uncle's room and almost turned back and headed for his room, but he wanted answers and maybe, just maybe if he were firm for once, maybe if he showed more of a spine then his uncle would tell him.

Casper knocked and waited for a reply, "Who is it?" Stretch called sounding annoyed. "It's C-casper." The little white ghost stuttered in fear, "What you want short sheet…" Casper cleared his throat and spoke quickly, "I wanted to, uh, I wanted to just…"

"Spit it out fog bank!" he cried.

"I want to talk to you… it's important."

There was silence for a long moment and just as Casper turned to float away the door slowly creaked open.

"Get in here and make it quick Casper." Amazed by his uncle actually allowing him into the room Casper floated in slowly. He looked around trying to find his uncle. Stretch was lying on his bed, hands behind his head.

"What you want to talk to me about bulbous brain."

Casper took a deep breath, even though he didn't need to and he gulped down spit he didn't have. He knew his uncle could tell he was nervous.

"Are you wanting to cross over?" Casper spit out quickly.

His uncle sat up quickly and looked at him, "What? What loony person gave you dat idea?" he asked sounding surprised and annoyed.

"D-dr. Harvey said that you were putting Uncle Stinkie in charge because you were considering c-crossing over."

Though his uncles were horrible to him, and they treated him like dirt, they were the only family he had left. Casper didn't want them to go, he would rather have them here then be alone. He knew Kat wasn't going to stay here with him forever and Dr. Harvey was hardly company. At least his uncles gave him attention, even if it was of the negative and hurtful kind.

Casper let himself get so worked up he flew over to Stretch and threw his arms around the ghosts thin, stick like neck. He felt his uncle stiffen in shock but he didn't care.

"Please don't go! If you go Uncle Stinkie and Uncle Fatso will go too! I don't want to be alone! Kat isn't going to stay with me forever! Please don't go!"

Though ghosts couldn't cry, Casper could sure sound like it. He sobbed and wailed like a banshee. He felt large, surprisingly gentle hands slowly pull at his ghostly body, until finally he released his vice like grip.

"Bul- Casper… I ain't crossing over for a long time, I have too much unfinished business on this hellish piece of rock the fleshies call Earth. You don't gotta worry about me or your other uncles going anywhere." His words were semi-kind but mostly he seemed uncomfortable and a little uneasy.

Casper looked to him, the fact that his uncle had not flung him away and told him to leave when he had hugged him made Casper a little braver.

"I have, have one more question if that is alright…"

Stretch sighed and nodded, "Do you… what happened between you and my mother."

Stretch stared at the small ghost in shock, for a moment he had lost all train of thought and he could do nothing but look at Casper in awe.

Stretch placed his hands on the little ghosts shoulders, "Casper, what you gotta understand about your mudder and me was dat…"

At that moment Fatso and stretch came flying in through the window laughing hysterically, they talked about the pub for a moment until they noticed the other two ghosts in the room. "What da?" Stinkie said sounding surprised and confused.

Stretch stared at his brothers as if he had forgotten Casper was there, Casper however did not care the other two had shown up and re-asked the question.

"What happened between you and my mother uncle Stretch?"

Stinkie made a face to Fatso who looked at the little ghost with a face that said, " Oh-Shit."

Stretch looked to Casper with an evil glare, "Get outta here Casper… go play or do what ever you do. Just stay out of my way."

"But, Uncle Stretch!" He cried out, "I said get out of here you little bug!" With that Stretch flung the small ghost through the door and breathing heavily looked back to his brothers, "I am so glad I died before I had any kids…" His brothers smiled at him and then floated to their separate beds.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kat approached the library, it was eleven fifty-five, part of her wished Stretch wouldn't show, but she knew better. Casper floating along side her, "I couldn't get a single thing out of him, but I do know he isn't going to cross over any time soon. I don't know what he has been telling your father but I am guessing most of it is lies." Kat nodded in agreement.

"He really threw you through the door?" Kat asked stopping and staring at the library doors.

"Yeah, it must be a very touchy subject, but I am not going to give up right away. I am going to ask him one more time…"

"Don't get him to angry with you Casper, you have to live with him until you cross over remember."

" I know, and I hope that doesn't change anytime soon."

Kat opened the library door and was relieved to see her dad was not present but also she was put out to see that Stretch was sitting at the chessboard smiling and looking at her.

"Ready to lose doll face?" he asked smiling his evil smile.

"Hardly…"

" Casper, stay out side." Stretch said; the little white ghost did as he was told and he watched with nervous tension as Kat closed the doors behind her.

She approached the chess table and never made eye contact with the tall ghost who was watching her walk across the large room.

"A deal is a deal, I've set it all up, whom ever wins makes da announcement as soon as they lose, the kiss however is not as simple. I'll kiss Stinkie in front of everyone, but I won't make you kiss me in front of any one. I can at least pretend to me a gentlemen." Stretch said smirking, "You gotta kiss me where and when I say."

Kat looked to him relieved she didn't have to do it in front of anyone, especially Casper and her father. "Ok, that's fair I guess."

"Ok den, you got a preference on color?" he asked looking at her and know where else.

Kat shook her head and Stretch grinned so creepily that Kat shivered, "Alright, den let's end dis ting."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Casper waited outside anxiously, he floated back and fourth before the door like a guard dog. It had been a hour since Kat had gone in and slowly but surely his other two uncles and then Dr. Harvey showed up, he wouldn't let any of them in however telling them that Stretch and Kat were playing a game of chess and the loser was to come out and announce their own stupidity. The group waited with excitement and interest to see who would win.

"Bet Stretch knocks her down a peg or two!" Stinkie teased nudging Fatso, "Bet she comes out crying." Fatso joined in. Casper just looked at the door and wished he had x-ray vision.

Another twenty minutes later there was the scrap of a chair and then soft padded foot falls and then the library doors slid open. The group all stood, or hovered, and watched as Kat came out, "Well?" Stinkie asked curiously.

Kat let a smirk spread across her face, "I won."

She marched out proudly and ran and hugged Casper, Stinkie and Fatso looked shocked and they pouted. Finally Stretch floated out head held high and then he said semi-loudly.

"Kat won, it's obvious she is much smarter then me. I admit defeat, she was cunning, witty, and intelligent in every move." Stretch bowed to Kat and float over to Stinkie, the ghost looked at him curiously, then Stretch grabbed his brothers face and planted a kiss on the nasty, smelly lips that often breathed green gas.

Everyone made the same remark at the same time, "EW GROSE!" Except Dr. Harvey who grew pale and almost ralphed. Then Casper and Fatso started to laugh and Stinkie just shook his head and fell to the floor spitting and rubbing his mouth. "You got problems!" He said pointing to his brother.

"You could say that." He said looking at Kat who gave him a weak smile, Casper started to pull her away and as Kat walked up the stairs she glanced back to Stretch who had his hands across his chest, and the most evil smile she had ever seen in her life.

"What have I done?" She said softly.

**A/N: I got a great big surprise coming for you guys in the next chapter! So keep reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/n: Enjoy! **

**Chapter 7 **

**Reviewing the situation**

It had been a week since the chess game, and all though everything had gone just about back to normal, Kat could not shake the feeling she was being watched everywhere she went. She was jumpy and nervous and could not control herself when it came to avoiding the trio. Stretch was slightly more assertive, but now he asked Stinkie and even Fatso what their ideas were.

They seemed to be picking on Casper and her and even her father more often then usual. Kat just tried to stay clear.

"Kat!" Casper called from the other end of the hall, "Yes?" she asked looking back at him. "I have a question."

Kat smiled and asked, "Oh really? What is that Casper?"

"Well, I mean I know your smart, I don't doubt that, but I was curious, exactly how did you beat my uncle at that game?"

Kat smiled and looked to Casper,

"I just, uh, I don't know, for some reason all his moves were really easy to counter. And I was able to see like, twenty moves ahead. I think he let me win actually." Kat said nervously.

Casper looked to her and smiled, "Who knew my uncle Stretch could be such a nice guy." Kat nodded blushing.

"Speaking of nice guys, dis nice guy would like to speak with da girl." The two spun around to see Stretch floating in the air, arms over his chest, eyes locked onto Kat.

"Oh, uh, sure. Casper, will you go see what my dad wants to have for supper, we can start it in about an hour, I'll be there in a second." Casper nodded eager to do her bidding. He flew away with out a second thought to his uncle.

"I see you are still playing along. Dats smart." Stretch said smiling.

"That was the deal, besides, Casper wouldn't approve."

"No he wouldn't would he. The little light bulb is so naïve… if he had just died four years later…"

Kat gave him a devil glare, "What do you want?"

"You know what I want, da deal was, if I threw da game and put on dat little performance for da whole "family" den you would…"

"Yeah I know…. When?"

"Tonight, meet me at the look out point in da back of the manor… we can talk more about dis den." With that Stretch flew away through the wall to the left and left Kat standing there sighing.

Spinning on her heel Kat walked to her room and started digging for something warm to wear, it was going to be a long night. She could feel it.

**A/n: I am sorry this is short, but my inner self is to happy to write right now. Give me a hour or two and I will finish. **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/n: Give me suggestions if u got any! I love suggestions! **

**Chapter 8**

**Paying debt**

Dinner was unusually quiet, worse then breakfast had been on the day of the chess game. Kat finished and was relieved to see Casper go off, she wouldn't have to shake him later. Everyone left but Kat and her dad. Kat paled slightly when she saw Stretch give her a quick glance as he left.

"Dad… "

"Dr. Harvey had been looking over some papers during dinner, so he hadn't noticed the awkward silence that had filled the kitchen.

"Dad!" Kat said nudging her father.

"Huh?" he said taking a sip of his water.

"I was wondering… if you would tell me… how… how you knew you were in love with mom."

Dr. Harvey spit out the water in his mouth and shakily looked to his daughter, "Well I, that is, I mean, why do you ask?" he asked whipping his papers off.

"I was just curious, I mean, you never really talk about it and I just. I was just wondering."

Dr. Harvey cleared his throat, "Well, I guess I knew I loved her when she smiled at me on our first date. She was so beautiful and charming and just… gorgeous. And she never really looked down on anything I said, she even supported some of my more crack-pot ideas… but, to make it more simple, I guess, when ever I looked at her, everything about her, flaws, perfection, they just all melted into her and I only saw how wonderful she was. She completed me and she understood me… I felt like I could really be myself with her, tell her anything."

Kat thought about this a moment and smiled looking at her dad, "That's so romantic."

Dr. Harvey smirked his boyish smirk, "Yeah, I guess it is… " They sat in silence a moment.

"Kat honey, it's been a few weeks, have you told Casper yet? I mean about…" Dr. Harvey motioned towards her ring finger.

"Uh? Oh, no I haven't… I mean just… I know I need to."

Dr. Harvey kissed her on the forehead, "The sooner the better…" He stood and left her to sit and think. Kat looked to the clock, she had four hours before she had to meet Stretch. There was only one thing to do.

Kat climbed out Casper's window and took her normal spot on the arched roof. "Mom, I know I haven't prayed in a long time… I am sure you know everything that's been happening though. I'm engaged, Stretch seems to be infatuated with me, or at least he enjoys messing with me. I am so scared to tell Casper, and I don't even know if I love my fiancé. I don't even think I am ready to go out into the real world. I wish you were here… I need you so much right now. Dad did a great job raising me, and hell even the ghostly Trio helped out a little, but honestly, being the only girl in a house full of guys, it gets lonely. I just wish I could remember… with out that picture of you I don't think I would remember your face. You perfume is barely a distant memory, your skin… it was so soft and always warm. I remember playing with your hair but what did it feel like? I don't know. I know you visited dad all those years ago, at that damn Halloween dance. I didn't mind that I didn't get to see you, because you gave Casper that wonderful gift. But now I just wish… I just wish you could be there when I finally walk down the isle; I want you to be able to hold your grandchild. I want you to be able to hold me!" Kat stood in frustration and walked over and kicked the house.

"You left to early! Dad wasn't ready to let you go and neither was I! But no! You just had to go! There was no stopping you; you were just so ready to go on to something better! God damn it! God fucking damn it!" Kat sank to her knees and then lay there sobbing. She felt something cold wrap around her and she looked up to see Casper holding her.

"C-Casper?" she asked shocked.

"It's okay Kat, I got you…"

Kat lay back down and let her crying come out, "I'm sorry Casper, I tried to tell you… I just couldn't hurt you like that."

"It's okay Kat…" Casper said, his voice sounding strong and UN phased.

There was a long silence and then finally Casper spoke, "So what's his name?"

Kat sat up whipping the tears away; she laughed a little, "Edward…."

"Eddy." Casper said in a teasing voice.

This made Kat laugh harder and she smiled happily at her friend, "Thank you Casper. For everything you have ever done for me or given me. I will never forget you for that."

"That's all I can ask for…" Casper said softly hugging his friend again.

"I'm sorry mom…" Was all Kat said to the large moon; which hung over the house. Then the two stood, well, one stood and the other floated and they went inside.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Kat approached the look out point behind the manor, she was nervous, but after what had happened two or three hours ago she felt stronger. She walked up the steps and went to the far side of the gazebo. She looked out onto the water below and was very happy to see how beautiful the ocean was with the moon reflecting off of it.

"It's beautiful out here ain't it dough?" Came Stretch's voice from behind Kat.

She didn't really jump, she knew he would show up, she turned to look at him and she nodded. He floated over to her and to her surprise took her hands in his.

"So what exactly did you want from me? You went to all this trouble to get me alone and separated from everyone and everything."

"Yeah, I tink I even surprised myself." He said. Kat giggled this made Stretch smile, but Kat was taken aback when she saw it was a very nice smile.

"I brought my wife out here so many times, to look out onto the ocean." Stretch said out of the blue.

"You were married?" Kat asked in shock.

"Well, no, but we were engaged, she left eventually, got tired of my nagging I guess." Stretch didn't sound to upset or regretful, "Den again, maybe I did da leaving, she was just about as head strong as you… not as beautiful though."

Kat blushed and then Stretch pulled her to the middle go the gazebo, "I've watched you grow up, you've become a great kid, and I know for a fact dat your mom don't mind dat I have interest in you." Kat looked up to Stretch in shock, "You have talked to my mother?" she asked.

"Course I have, I had to ask her if she was ok wit it…"

"With what?" Kat asked.

"Wit dis." Stretch leaned in and kissed Kat softly on the lips. Every muscle in her body stiffened, she didn't pull away, and was shocked by the coldness of his lips. But she was pleasantly surprised when he slipped his tongue in between her lips. She relaxed her body and kissed him back.

For a moment it was just them kissing and then the sound of the waves crashing below, then before she knew what was going on she looked down and realized they were hovering, just like she had done with Casper all those years ago she wrapped her arms tightly around Stretches neck and she felt him laugh.

"Hold on doll face."

"What?" Kat asked

With that Stretch shot out of the gazebo and flew straight towards the moon. Kat held on tightly as Stretch twisted and turned and just like she had with Casper all those years ago she felt completely safe.

**A/n: I know it's kinda fluffy but I kinda like it fluffy. It doesn't help that I am listing to the song So Close by Jon McLaughlin! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/n: I am so glad people are enjoying this. I know it's kinda fluffy, but since we never really see a sensitive side of stretch it's hard to really make it realistic. Keep reading. **

**Chapter 9**

**Surprise Visit **

Kat woke up in her bed, warm and cozy under her blankets. She sat up slowly and was a little alarmed as the memories from the previous night flooded her mind. Vision of her and Stretch flying around over the ocean, the lighthouse, a lot of kissing and touching. She felt herself get red with embarrassment, why had she let herself give into to that? Why had her body betrayed her so quickly, why had she enjoyed it so much more then anything else? Was it the closeness perhaps?

She had just prayed to her mom, she had told Casper everything, and then bam, she had officially become the virgin lover of a 100 year old ghost. What a night it had been, she didn't feel tired however which surprised her do to the fact that she had been out until three. She looked to her clock and froze, it was noon, Kat sprang from her bed and ran to her closet. She threw on the first outfit she found that looked somewhat decent and then throwing on some shoes too ran down the stairs to the kitchen.

Why had they not woken her up? Something was not right today already; she dreaded what it could be.

Kat approached the kitchen with fear, she heard hushed talking and for a moment heard heart leaped, she head Stretch, her dad, and someone else.

She pushed the doors open and she almost threw up, "KITTEN!" Came a cry from the stranger who sat across from her father.

"Edward, what are you d-doing here?" Kat felt her legs give out and she landed harshly on the floor. Casper flew to her side and helped her stand, Edward walked over to her took her in his arms and swung her around. He ended up dropping her when yet ANOTHER person walked into the kitchen. Kat landed on her butt and Casper once again helped her up, "Ashley?" Kat said in such a high-pitched voice she was sure glass could break.

"Oh hey Kitty Kat!" she said with a smile that reeked of her fake sincerity.

"Introduce us to your family!" she said looking at the ghosts and Dr. Harvey, Kat, still holding on to Casper for deal life spoke with a shaky voice and a wobbling body, "Oh, right, I mean, of course, Dad, obviously you already met Edward, but this is Ashley, Edwards ex girl-friend and my good friend. Ashley this is, Casper, my father, and the ghostly trio, Fatso, Stretch and Stinkie."

Her eyes had lingered on Stretch but he did not seem angry or even put out by Kat's fiancé showing up. The ghostly trio had been quiet this whole time, watching Kat's reaction to Edward being there, laughing when he had dropped her to go see Ashley in and snickering as she had quickly introduced them all.

Now it was their turn to warmly welcome the new people and all three ghosts darted to the two new comers. "So I take it Kat has told you all about us, since you didn't freak out when you first came in." Stinkie said sounding amused.

"Indeed, though he hardly believed her, we weren't surprised a tick when we came and actually saw you four ghosts sitting at the table."

"Dis guys definitely long winded." Stretch said so that everyone could hear him.

"Maybe he won't talk so much if we put some food in his mouth." Fatso hinted with a laugh.

"Yeah, I agree." Stretch flew to the table and picked up a waffle, which he rolled up into a ball and threw harshly at Edward's face. The man ducked quickly and the waffle hit the door behind him.

"Friendly bunch aren't they." Edward said sounding only slightly amused. By now Kat had regained her composer and had taken Ashley and Edward by the elbow. "Library! NOW!" She said dragging them back out of the kitchen.

"LOVELY TO HAVE MET YOU!" Edward shouted back to Kat's father who nodded and waved with a small smirk. He knew that tone in Kat's voice, and she was not happy. Edward was sleeping on the couch tonight.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"What in god's name were you thinking EDWARD!" Kat roared at the top of her lungs as she shut the door behind her.

Little did she know that didn't matter, the ghostly trio, and even Casper sat invisible up in the balcony, looking down at the three below.

"How could you come here, let alone bring ASHLEY! The ghostly trio will tare her apart! And Stretch is going to be dogging after you Edward!"

The young man looked at her from his dark brown eyes, "Why would he dog me I have done nothing to him."

"You a guy! If you had ever met a kid named Vic you would understand! The poor kid can't brush his teeth alone anymore after what Stretch did to that kid! But that is beside the point, you still haven't answered my initially question! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

By the end of this angry rampage of words and flinging her arms about Kat was breathing heavily and looking more frustrated then Casper had ever seen her.

"Kathy, sweat heart… I missed you. I wanted to meet your father. See where you grew up… Is that so wrong, I mean we are engaged."

Kat took a breath, "No it isn't, but showing up uninvited, with out prior notice is very rude! We don't have any rooms ready, and we sure as hell don't have the friendliest room mates!"

"But Kitten, I wanted to see my future home… "

" Whoa whoa whoa Eddy…" Kat said holding up a hand, "First off, this house belongs to the ghostly Trio and Casper. They allow us to live here… if it weren't for them we would be in some main street flat living off boxes of crackers. Second, if you and I end up getting married at all, we aren't going to be living here."

"And why not?" Edward asked with a hint of annoyance.

"Because, to live here means I would have to get a job in town, and the chances of me getting the kind of job I want in a town like Friendship, Main is near to none! I wanna go see the world is that so bad!" Kat exclaimed.

"Sugar you need to calm down, wait, did you just say wanna?"

"What?" Kat asked.

"You just said wanna, I believe the proper term is want to."

Kat looked away and blushed, "Oh yeah, sorry, I pick up some slang from the trio sometimes… anyway, ignore my grammar and just listen. I appreciate you coming, I really do, you to Ashley, but this place is not a good place to stay if u expect a peaceful and relaxing vacation. Why do you think I wanted to come here alone?"

"Because you got tired of the college dorms?" Ashley said chewing her gum like a cow, "Watch your jaw Ash." Edward said.

"By the way Kitten, what are you wearing? I haven't ever seen that outfit before…"

Kat looked down at herself, jeans and a baggy shirt, with her black boots. Her face grew red, "It's what I wear when I am at home, and it's comfortable."

"Well darling for everyone's sake, burn that outfit and put one you khakis and blouse." Edward took Ashley by the hand and said, "We are going to look around the house, and the grounds. We will join your for dinner, please look presentable." With that Edward and Ashley slipped by and out the door.

Kat stared after them and feeling like getting the last word in and being an ass about it, quickly yelled, "Are you sure you WANNA do dat! I betcha' dar is so many more interestin' tings to do!" She frowned and started to walk out, "Like actually talk to ME." She said under her breath.

"Know way is Kat marrying that sleaze ball." Casper said as all four ghosts appeared, "I would sooner scare that jerk myself then let him treat her like that." Casper flew off after Kat.

"Normally I try not to get in da way of lovers, but I tink whitey is right. Even a girl like Kat can do better then that…." Stinkie said looking at Stretch.

"Day ain't lovers genius. I tink Kat is having one o' dos fleshy moments… I know what its called I just can't tink." Stretch floated away down into the main room of the library and looked around thinking. "What you tink she is doing with a bug like dat."

"I bet you anyting dat she is lookin' to settle down, have a family, some security boys…and I bet he was just in da right place at da right time." Stretch said looking to his brothers.

"What do you mean?" Fatso asked.

"I mean, I tink Eddy is playing Kat, I bet he tinks she owns Whipstaff, everything in it, and dat if he marries her he gets dis place."

"But why would he want it if he knew we were here? We won't let him tare dis place down."

"Ya!" Fatso agreed with Stinkie.

"I bet you anyting he don't want to tare dis place down. I bet he is da kinda guy that likes to sell tickets." Stretch said stroking his see-threw chin.

Stinkie and Fatso's eyes grew wide, "Forget dat!" They said at the same time.

"Count on it, I am going to go talk to da doc, go find Casper… I tink he need him to do us a favor."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kat sat on her bed looking miserably at her closet and the small corner that held all her formal clothes. She hated wearing it, all of it felt so tight and constricting, even the khaki pants and light blouse. She wasn't going to wear any of it, or change just to please Edward; she wasn't that kind of girl. She belonged to know one but herself.

But she was lost in thought at what Edward had said; the entire conversation in the library had been one big whipping fest. He had insulted her, berated her and even scolded her. He had been like a father out of a nightmare, and the worst part was that Kat had never been more embarrassed in her life.

When she had been at college she had not given a second thought to how he acted towards her, how he had treated her, or what he said about her while she was gone. After all, even if he did flirt with a billion other girls right in front of him, she had had the ring. At the time she had figured he was just getting his jollies out before the wedding. But after last night with Stretch, how he had treated her, talked to her. How he had shown her true respect and decency Kat realized just how stupid she had been. She had said yes to the first guy that had asked, even though he had treated her like crap.

Kat knew she was stronger then that, better then that. Her mother would have hated Edward and Kat knew now that she had hated Edward all along. She had just been to scared to lose the one chance she had had at a family. But Kat wasn't scared anymore; there was definiantly a guy out there somewhere that could love her for her. Stretch had proved that last night, and for that she was not only very thankful, but also extremely hot.

Kat stood and walked out of her room, she turned down the hall and saw that Stretch had just floated through a wall and into his room. Kat walked down to his door and listened, she didn't hear the other two ghosts. Kat pushed the door open and looked in at the tall lanky ghost.

He turned to look at her, "Well if it isn't my little peach." He said looking at her with an evil smirk. But instead of backing away, or insulting him, or yelling at him for that ridiculous nickname she strode over to him and in an instant had her arms around his neck, her lips kissing his cold mouth, her body pressing into his misty form.

Knowing full well that Stretch had no weight at all about himself she pushed him quickly and he landed on the bed with Kat on top of him. He slowly pushed her up a little and spoke quickly, "Whoa doll face, dis ain't exactly da best place to be a tigress if ya know what I mean."

Now, finally, it was Kat's turn to give Stretch an evil smile, she got up and walked to the door, she closed it and locked it, "Dat will keep out the fleshy's… and Dis will keep out your brothers." Kat said imitating Stretch's accent, she pulled something out from her pants pocket and set it on Fatso's bed.

"What is dat ting?" Stretch asked sitting up fully, "I made it a long time ago, to keep you guys out of Casper's toy room after you three stole all his things and put them all over the house. It's a charm, it keeps spirits out of a room, unless of course they are already in it."

Kat then turned her full attention to the ghost behind her, she approached the bed that Stretch was sitting on, "Do I detect a hint of bravery?" he asked an evil smile consuming his face.

"I think so." Kat giggled and Stretch laughed, then for along time all was somewhat quiet.

R**&R A/N: Great Idea Spiritto! Kat coming on to Stretch is so sexy! There will be plenty more of that to come, in fact we need a nickname for it. Let's call it chocolate! There will be plenty more chocolate, especially when Christmas roles around! ****Winks excessively.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I'm really sorry about the nasty grammatical errors in the last chapter, I was too lazy to fix it. This one will be cleaner. **

**Chapter 10**

**Plots**

Edward walked out of the house; he was angry and very unhappy. "Oh Eddy!" Ashley cried grabbing on to his arm, "Dis place is great!" she cried, her New York accent becoming clear.

"Will you shut it Ash! I'm tryin' to think here!" His perfect grammar had disappeared and he spoke with a New York accent that was much thicker then Ashley's.

"Oh come on baby!" she pleaded to him, "Dis place is so cute! I say we take it now!"

Eddy jerked his head to look at her and yanked his arm away, "No! Not yet. It ain't time yet. Kat and I need to be married first, once we are married dats when we strike! Before then, we play the goodie two-shoes gang and sit tight."

"But why not now? She said da ghosts own the house, how is marrying her going to make any difference, we take it now and forgo da whole marriage charade!"

"I have a feeling dat da ghosts wont hand over da house willingly, if I marry dare pretty kitty Kat, I bet you anytin' they will DO anytin' to save her."

Ashley smiled and laughed, "You always were da brains." She giggled and leaned onto his arm again looking dreamy.

"And you always were da pretty one." He said with fake enthusiasm.

"Aw shucks babe, you're a peach!"

The two took hold of each other's hands and walked towards the gardens, little did they know a small white ghost had been watching and listening from above.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Uncle Stretch! Uncle Stretch!" Casper yelled as he flew into the kitchen, lately this seemed to be their meeting place. "What you find out snooper?" he said.

Stinkie, and Fatso came closer to their brother waiting for Casper to report, "You were right, Edward is using her… he wants the house. I am not sure why, he didn't really say, but it was obvious that he wanted to use his marriage to Kat against us so that we would give him the house."

"But dat don't make no sense, he couldn't use Kat against us even if he was married to her… could he?" Stinkie asked looking to his eldest brother.

"Stretch thought a moment, "Dare are several things he could do while he is married to her that I am sure could make us give him anything he wanted."

"What do you mean?" Fatso asked.

"Tink about it, if he is married to her and she ain't whole heartedly in it, imagine dare wedding night… what could something like dat do to Kat?"

Stinkie and the other two ghosts thought a moment, "No!" Casper yelled, "I won't let him do that to her! He won't touch her, even if I have to cross over to keep her away from him."

Casper started to fly out of the room screaming Kat's name but Stretch grabbed the small ghost by his tail end and yanked him back covering Casper's house with his hand.

"Calm down fly boy, we're gunna save your precious kitty Kat, but first we have to talk to da doc. We can't even have a prayer for convincing Kat of anything with out daddy dearest dare."

"You mean you haven't talk to him yet?" Fatso asked looking confused, "Yea, you said you was going to go talk to him two hours ago." Stinkie continued.

"Uh, well yea, I was, it's just…. I got preoccupied… so let's go. Fatso go find da Doc, Stinkie take big-mouth here and go find."

"What about you." Casper asked shaking free of his uncles.

"I'm gunna go and talk to Edward's kitty Kat." Stretch took off through the ceiling and Stinkie and Casper took off for the gardens.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kat stood in her room; she gazed out the window and saw Edward and Ashley kissing in the garden. She had known all along that they had been screwing while Kat and Edward had been engaged. But for some reason she had chosen to ignore it. After this afternoon she was fed up with not caring. She was going to march down to him, give him his ring, and kick his sorry butt to the curb.

Just then Stretch flew threw her door, "Oh? Back for round two?" she asked smiling.

Stretch floated over to her and looked out the window, "No sadly, I was coming here to tell you that your fiancé has a plot to use you against us… but I see you've already noticed."

"I think I noticed before he showed up here, hell I think I noticed when he asked me to marry him. I mean, he only became interested in me when he found out I lived here."

They were both silent a moment and then Stretch asked, "What's Eddy's last name Kat?"

Kat thought a moment, "Horshire?"

"You don't know for sure?"

"Like I care, he told me once, I didn't bother to remember."

"Why did you even say yes to dis guy?"

"I was board…"

"Love ain't the same as it used to be..."

"It was never love… more like… lust."

"You sleep with him?"

"Hell no, we never even kissed, mostly just held hands… it was lust for something else… something not related to sex."

"You got tired of being alone?"

"I suppose so, but I would have rather been alone then gone through the hell I have for the past two years. I am quite ready to go and shove this ring up Edwards…"

"Watch it Kat, I may be a heavy swearer myself, but once you start it's hard to stop."

"Hahah." Kat said sarcastically.

"Well, before you go tell Edward off, I tink we should go find de others and have a small chat. It's important." Kat looked to him slightly confused but nodded, she followed the ghost out of her room, excited at the prospect of shoving the ring up Edward's ass. And she was sure with the help of the ghostly trio they could lodge it pretty far in.

A/N: Ok, it's kinda rough but it will get really good really soon. Keep reading!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: **So I don't know what you guys think, but lemme tell you, when Fan says, "This update will make things better!" I find it only makes the site worse. I couldn't update forever, and so I fell behind! Thank you for waiting and now chapter 11. **

**Chapter 11**

**The plan**

Four spirits and to fleshies sat around the table in the kitchen, "So, his last name is Horshire?" Stretch asked Kat one more time, this time in front of the whole group.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?" Kat asked.

"And he only became interested in you once he found out where you lived?"

"Well yeah, but I mean wouldn't most guys be? And you still aren't answering my question." She said with annoyance.

"And he didn't know that WE," Stretch said motioning to the three other ghosts around him, "Owned the manor until he showed up today right?"

Kat nodded slightly embarrassed, "Ashley found one of my journals and read it, she thought I was crazy though, but when Edward found out he seemed more interested then amused."

"Ok, I tink we have a problem." Stretch concluded looking to Doctor Harvey.

"Obviously we have a problem, but you still haven't told us what it is." The Doc said.

"Dis Manor house, well you see… it didn't always belong to the Mcfadden family." Stretch said looking pleased.

"What?" Kat asked.

"Well, to put it bluntly…." Stinkie started.

"Our family won Whipstaff off of the Horshires." Stretch finished.

"Who was it again?" Fatso asked.

"I believe it was three greats ago…" Stretch said thinking.

"Great great great uncle peter?" Stinkie asked.

"No, Great great great Grandpa Mcfadden… it was the story about the hen house and the fox and the card game."

"Oh yeah! I remember that story! My dad told it to me all the time when I couldn't sleep." Casper said.

"Well den you can do the honors…" Stretch said floating over to one of the windows and looking outside.

Casper thought it odd his uncle was being so nice to him but he shrugged it off and launched into the story.

"Great great great Grandpa McFadden, or Bulldog McFadden since it's shorter to say, was out in the woods one day mushroom hunting. As he explored the dense thickets of the woods he found a baby fox. He brought it home to his son James. James loved the fox very much and he called it Ferdy. The McFadden's at that time lived on a farm and didn't have much money to their name. Well, one day, the rich Mr. Horshire from on top the hill came down and claimed that James's fox, Ferdy, was eating and attacking the chickens in the Horshire's hen house. James denied it, he said Ferdy was a friendly fox and didn't hurt other animals." Casper said.

Just then Stinkie interrupted. "Well, good old Horshire being da nice guy he was said that if Bulldog wouldn't pay him back for the chickens that were killed he was going to go to da authorities and take everything that the McFadden's owned."

"Horsire had been after the McFadden land for a long time though, so this was like the perfect excuse for him to grab it away." Casper added.

"Yeah but Bulldog was to smart for that." Fatso said nudging his brother and laughing.

"You see, Horshire was a gambling man, he actually won most of his money from the card houses. So Bulldog made Horshire an offer. He said, that if Horshire could beat him in a game of cards with out cheating then he would gladly hand over all his lands, his animals, the fox, his sons as servants, and of course his lovely daughter to be wed to him. Naturally Horshire couldn't turn it down, he was sure he could beat Bulldog and he knew the less the authorities were involved the better. So to finish the story that goes on for about another twenty minutes, Bulldog ended up winning and Horshire lost." Casper finished.

Kat and Dr. Harvey stared at him for a second and then Stretch flew over and lightly smacked him across the back of the head, "You idiot, you left out the most important part."

Casper looked up at him confused so Stretch finished, "If Horshire LOST he was suppose to turn over all of his lands, properties, and businesses he owned to Mcfadden in a legal contract. Here was the ting, however, dat really pissed Horsire off. Da day of da card game Bulldog brought a judge and a few authoritive type figures. He told dem to wait behind a large group of trees and listen; Bulldog made Horshire repeat the deal and made him shake on it. Dey played da game, neither one cheated and Bulldog won. When Horshire tried to deny Bulldog da property and money owed to him he had da authorities and judge come out. Horshire had no choice, he couldn't back out. And dus Horshire lost everything… legally… he had no claim to Whipstaff. I am tinking dis Edward kid is related… and I am tinking he is after his great great great grand dad's old property. However, since Kat doesn't actually own Whipstaff, he has to find a way around it. And I tink he plans to use Kit Kat to gain some leverage over us so he can get us to hand over da house."

"Wow." Kat said slightly amused. "That's kind of funny, because now that I know he is a back stabbing ass hole we don't have to worry about it. I can go out there and shove this ring right up his…"

"No, you will not." Dr. Harvey cut in sharply and Kat looked at him with disappointment, _**"I**_ am going to shove it up his...skirt." Her father said reaching for the ring and taking it from her.

Kat smiled and stood to go and watch her father tell off Edward, but suddenly Stretch was before the Doc. "Hey Doc, I really think you should let us handle dis."

"I don't think so, this guy has a talk coming to him…"

"No I mean, dis guy is not a nice guy and he wants us to hand over da house… if he gets a hold of Kat or even you he can use you against us."

The Doc stopped and looked at Stretch, and then back at Kat, "Well you can't expect us to just sit here can you? I want that boy out of here."

"No worries, you two stay here, Casper you guard um. Let da ghostly trio take care of dis." The three left the kitchen chuckling. Kat quickly ran to the far side of the kitchen and hopped up onto the counter to better see out the window, "I want to see them shove it down his throat." She said.

**Page Break**

Edward looked out over the cliff, the sun was setting and leaving a red tinge in the sky, he was standing in the gazebo. "I can't wait to own dis place. Its gunna be nice to be home."

"I tought you said dis place belonged to your great great great grand father."

"Yeah, so?" Edward asked looking at her, "Well Eddy, if you've never lived here how can it be your home?" Ashley asked looked at him like she had just had a stroke of genius.

"It's a family home, dar for it's MY home… and I want it back…no matter what I gotta do."

"You gotta learn how to talk with out sounding like an idiot." Eddy spun around to see the ghostly trio floating behind him and Ashley.

"Well hello Mr. Stretch, Mr. Fasto, and Mr. Stinkie. What brings you out on this wonderfully modest day." He said covering his accent like it never even existed.

"You can stop playin' games bone bag… we know who you are, what you want and why you are here." Stinkie said giving a creepy smile, "And we have decided you ain't welcome." Green gas oozed between his yellow teeth as he growled.

"I am certain I do not know what you are talking about." Eddy said trying hard to keep his tempter under control.

"Eddy, dare giving me da creeps." Ashley said slowly moving closer to him.

"Don't worry Ash, I am sure they mean us no harm. It's just their way of showing they are glad to have us here… right?" He said almost as if he was trying to get them to play along.

"Actually, you know, we are glad you are here. We have a welcome home gift for you…_** Horshire**_…" Stretch flicked his thumb up and from it something shiny went flying towards Eddy, the boy caught it and looked at it. "Kat wanted you to have it. Said she ain't interested in what you are selling and dat you should take your show on da road."

He looked down into his hands and saw the engagement ring he had given to Kat, "You're kidding me right? Dat stupid little brat is turning me down?" He looked at Ashley in shock; she looked back at him and suddenly started to back away, almost as if her fear of his temper and reaction out weighed her fear of the ghostly trio.

"Dat stupid bratty bitch." He said chucking the ring down, it actually went through the old floorboard, and it hit and clanged on a rock below. "Eddy!" Ashley cried, "DAT WAS MY MOTHER'S!" She said tears coming to her eyes and dropping to the ground ripping at the small hole.

"Oh shut it Ash, I'll buy you a new one."

"I don't want a new one I want my mother's! You promised I could have it back after da scam!"

"There is just no pleasing you is there!" Eddy turned and kicked her in the stomach. She went flying and hit the railing and then laid still.

"Now dat is unacceptable… right boys?" Stretch said growing in size.

"Right." They both said together joining Stretch in getting bigger.

Eddy jumped the railing to the left and started running to the house. Behind him he heard the gazebo's roof crack and the three ghosts exploded from the top and looked after him. He ran like a rabbit for the house, "Stinkie! Fetch the ass hole! Go on boy! Go!" Instantly Stinkie streaked after him barking and yipping. Stretch and Fatso followed.

**Page Break**

Kat stood in the kitchen pacing; she hadn't been able to see anything from the windows. She wanted to know what was going on, she had wanted to see that snob Edward's reaction. Her father was sitting there tapping his finger on the table and shuffling uncomfortably.

"Casper do you think you could just phase through the wall really quick and then come back and tell me what is going on?" Kat asked to the little white ghost who had been busy cleaning while they waited.

"Sorry Kat, if my uncle saw me out there watching instead of in here guarding you and your dad I would never hear the end of it."

"God I want to know what is going on!" Kat said.

Suddenly the kitchen doors flew open and an enraged Edward strode in. "You stupid little brat! How can you turn me down! You will ruin everything!" He said coming at her. The Doc stood up quickly and in an instant swung his cane. It crashed into Edward's nose and sent him flying backward. He crashed onto the floor and instantly grabbed his nose. "FUCK!" He cried.

"Whoa." Kat and Casper said at the same time looking at the Doc like he had just crossed over himself. "Dad…" Kat started. But before she could continue a gigantic hand came from out of nowhere and grabbed Edward dragging him the rest of the way out of the room. "That can't be good." Casper said looking at Dr. Harvey and Kat. The three rushed into the main room and looked up as the three giant ghosts tossed Edward back and forth like a football.

"HUT HUT HIKE!" Stinkie called throwing Edward towards Fatso who had tried to catch him with his hands. His arms were to short though and he ended up using his mouth instead. "Fatso you animal you know to chew your food and swallow before you talk." Stretch said smiling.

Fatso made an noise and suddenly swallowed, Edward disappeared in to the large ghost's mouth and ended up suspended in the large circle that was his stomach. He sat there trying to kick and squirm out but every time he pushed on a part of Fatso the fat ghost's belly jiggled and he slapped it with his hand and laughed.

"Why Fatso… are you pregnant?" Stinkie asked rushing over to take Fatso's hand. "Yeah you do look a little plump." Stretch added coming over and taking Fatso's other hand. "Well fellas, I do feel kind of bloated."

"You hear dat Casper! Your uncle Fatso has a bun in his oven!"

Casper laughed and flew up to join his uncle's, "What should we do about dis awful happening?" Stretch asked Casper.

"I say we operate." Casper said suddenly donning a doctor's coat and mask. "I happen to have a chain saw here, perhaps we can help relieve some of that gastric tension." Casper said yanking the power cord of a chain saw he had pulled from thin air. It gave a nasty lurch forward and Casper approached Fatso. Edward shrieked when he saw the white ghost approach.

"Whoa whoa whoa short sheets… let's not harm Fatso in da process of extricating him from this little burden. How about some bowling?" Casper looked slightly disappointed but nodded taking the form of a bowling ball.

"Okay Stinkie, get the pin in position!" Stretch yelled swinging Casper back.

"PIN IS READY!" He called moving away from Fatso.

"Den let's do some bowling!" Stretch cried releasing Casper and sending the white ball flying across the room towards Fatso's stomach. As soon as Casper hit he was suddenly ejected back and bounced all about the ceiling and walls and floors. When he finally came to a halt he landed on the ground and held his head, "Whoa, what a rush." He said as Kat rushed over to help him up.

"Oh lord." Everybody heard Fatso say, and suddenly there was a rather large farting noise and Edward went flying towards a fall and as he hit it Kat heard a smacking sound. As she looked over she realized Edward was covered in plasma goop. She held her noise to avoid the smell.

Edward sat there in complete and total shock; he stared off into space and didn't say a word. Casper rushed over and holding his nose grabbed Edward with one hand and started to drag him towards the door.

"Wait a sec Bulb head, where you taking him?" Stretch asked eyeing him closely.

"To a place he won't ever bother us again." He said not evening bothering to look his uncle in the eye.

The ghostly trio looked at one another and then Stretch sighed, "Come on kiddo, let us handle dat… dis ain't something your kind of spirit should have to handle." Stretch said approaching reaching for the still body. Casper yanked him away, "No way! I want to see this jerk hang for his sins. I guarantee he has hurt more people then just Kat. I mean, come on, I bet you anything the devil is just howling for his soul…"

"Casper!" Kat said eyes growing wide, "What are you talking about?" She asked approaching him and looking at him with eyes that almost didn't recognize him.

"I am talking about one less jerk in the world that's all." He said dropping the body; Edward's head gave a loud thunk on the floor and Kat looked down at the sticky body as if it was a zombie.

"Casper you're not acting like yourself." Dr. Harvey said hobbling over.

"Come on Doc, you can't expect me to just float around like nothing is happening. I have a chance to get rid of him and protect you and Kat… you think I would pass that up? I'd do anything for you two."

"But Casper… it's not the kind of spirit you are… let your uncle's handle it." Kat begged.

"She's right Casper…don't be stupid." Stretch said.

Casper looked at his uncle's and then back at Kat, "You know Kat, I was completely helpless when it came to you marrying this scum bag, but I am not helpless anymore… I am going to kick this guy to the curb." With that Casper grabbed Edward and shot through the door.

"AFTER HIM!" Stretch yelled to his brothers. The trio shot out after him and Kat and Doctor Harvey were left standing in the dust. Suddenly Stinkie stuck his head back in, "By the way, go out to the gazebo, you honey bunch did a number on his ex-girlfriend." Then he was gone again.

Kat looked at her dad and the two hurried out the front door heading out to the gazebo.

**R&R And I would like to apologize to anyone who did not like the turn this story took. It's not over by far, but if you really don't like where this is heading I do apologize. I may rewrite later for but for now I am sticking with this. Thanks for reading. **


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: So, many people know that when a spirit of somewhat blessed nature comes into contact with some one or something that is evil it can have negative effects on the spirit. It can also has a reverse effect, if you put a demon or demonic spirit in the room with a cross or someone of religious means it often upsets or disturbs the demon spirit. That is the reason why in the last chapter Casper had such a quick change in demeanor. He goes from happy and Caspery to almost angry and irritated. It is because being around someone whose soul is as dirty and rotten as Edwards has a very negative effect on him. Though Edward seems like the main Antagonist and Casper and the Harvey's the Protagonist it is not true. Edward is the set up to a much larger story. I felt I should clarify since I do agree it does feel like I rushed Edward's undoing but there are reasons. So please enjoy chapter 12.**

**Chapter 12**

**Fighting with reason**

Casper knew his uncle's were hot on his tail, but he kept flying like a bat out of Hell. He wanted to get this man away from Whipstaff, and away from Kat. Whenever Edward was around him he just felt bad, he felt like he was not himself. He didn't like the vibe he got off of this guy and he was going to get rid of him once and for all.

"Casper, damn it, stop! He heard his uncle Stretch call.

"No way! This guy is a blemish on society. I am doing them a favor!"

"Come on powder puff, put the guy down!" He heard Fatso's deep voice call.

"Oh you want me to put him down? Oh I will put him down!" Casper said flying way out over the sea.

"CASPER DONT!" He heard from behind, the young ghost swung around quickly and flung Edward out it to the sea. Edward's body toppled head over heels like a rag doll into the water bellow. If he hadn't been dead before he was sure dead now, the trio came to stop beside Casper and stared as the body drifted and then slowly sunk.

"I can't believe it short sheet… you just killed someone…" Stretch said staring stunned. Suddenly Casper stared at his milky white hands and then back at the spot where the body had been.

"What the heck was I thinking…" he whispered, he turned and flew off towards the light house.

"You better go after him Stretch, he is going to need an explanation." Stinky said still looking at the spot where the body had sunk.

"Yeah, I got dis, do me a favor, find the body and bring it up…. Burry it in the gardens…"

"We don't know where the white glow worm keeps the shovels." Fatso said floating next to Stinky looking at the water.

"Fine, find the body and drag it down to the bottom… just make sure it ain't found we can't have the cops sniffing around."

Stretch flew off towards the lighthouse after Casper who was now sitting on the edge watching the last bit of light disappear. The thin ghost sat down next to the little white one who now hid his face in his hands. "What have I do?" Casper ask himself not aware that his uncle was sitting right next to him. Stretch said nothing at first, but slowly allowed his hand to come and rest on the little ghost's shoulders. He looked up slowly and Stretch was sure if a ghost could cried he would look like Casper looked right at this moment. "Listen short sheets, there ain't much I can say or do right now to make you feel better. But I do tink I can explain some things."

Casper looked at his uncle, something came into his eyes that Stretch knew was not going to last. Casper looked hopeful, like this whole thing was some big joke and he had been the fool. Better the fool then the murderer Stretch thought. He took a deep breath, "You Casper are a ghost, and though it is very rare for a ghost of your type to be violent, and I ain't just referring to your friendly demeanor, it can happen. Usually only when there is soul of equal or greater evil in the room." The blue eyed ghost looked at his uncle for a second and then said, "So the reason Edward got to me is because he was just as evil as I am good?" Casper asked.

"Yeah, sort of…" Stretch said casually looking off over the ocean.

"But then why didn't Carrigan or Dibs have an effect on me when they were trying to take the house and get rid of us?" He asked.

"I figured you'd ask… here is the ting about those fleshes, dat bitch of a woman was mean and nasty, but her sin was greed and vanity. Those things taint a heart but they don't really make you evil so much as corrupt. As for Dibs he was just a dog on the wrong leash. Dis Edward guy, he was a piece of work. He didn't just want money and power; he enjoyed hurting people, and loved to watch other people's misery. I watched him drop kick his girl friend… he wasn't just your every day bad guy… this guy could and probably has hurt a bunch of people with out any ounce of remorse or guilt. I wouldn't be surprised if he had even assaulted a few women here and dare too."

Casper thought a moment, "So I killed him because he was to evil?"

"No, your demeanor changed because his evil was off setting your equilibrium. You ever seen dose stupid ghost shows on tv?"

Casper nodded slowly, "Well, I hate to say it but da fleshies ain't to far off… when dare is an evil spirit in the house you bring in a priest and he makes it all better. The holiness of a priest offsets that of a evil spirit and usually can chase it away. It works reverse for you… I wouldn't doubt if an evil spirit were to try and invade whipstaff your good-o-meter would probably go into over drive. We'd have a holy war on our hands." Stretch teased nudging Casper somewhat playfully.

"Is dat why the priest couldn't get you guys out of the house?" Casper said referring to the priest the trio had vomited on and twisted in half.

Stretch looked at him for a second and then sigh, "I don't want to admit it but yes, da trio and I may scare humans but we aren't evil… at all… we are just doing our jobs… and we happen to enjoy it. Trying to exercise a none evil spirit is a waste of time."

"Who knew after all these years of scaring people you don't even count as evil…" Casper said looking down.

"Hey don't tink we are pushovers, we may not be evil but we aren't exactly nice."

"Right." Casper said, his eyes slowly traced the water until they came to rest on the spot of the murder. Stretch saw the look in Casper's eyes and he came to float in front of him, he picked him up and started to head back to the house, "Do your self a favor bulb head, forget it ever happened and pretend Edward never existed."

Page break

Late into the night Casper wondered around the house aimlessly doing his chores, sometimes doing chores he had already done once. The whole family watched as he silently floated from room to room. He made no comments when Stinky or Fatso tried to get a rise out of him and when Kat tried to talk to him he murmured and floated off. Finally Doctor Harvey managed to get him into the library for a short talk.

Kat wondered the house and peeked into the trio's room, stinky and Fatso were messing with something, it looked like cinder blocks with ropes attached. She closed the door quietly and as she turned to go was greeted by a pair of violet eyes.

"Looking for someone?" He asked casually.

"Oh, I uh… I just wanted to talk to you." She said feeling her nerves rise in her stomach.

"Okay." He said looking at her and waiting patiently.

Kat blushed and realized he wasn't going to make things easy on her. "I wanted to…" she said moving slightly forward towards his lips but then pulling back, "I needed to just…" She realized he wasn't going to take the hint and slowly changed her mind, "I just wanted to ask if you thought Casper is going to be alright." She lied.

Stretch stared at her for a moment and then said, "I would assume so, he ain't exactly ever going to be the same as he was but I bet in a day or two he will be close enough to normal he will actually talk to you." Kat let her eyes show her longing, she didn't want to be a weak helpless girl but she was having trouble reading what Stretch wanted and she didn't want to go for it and be shut down.

"Oh, ok. Well… thanks." She said going to move past him.

"How long were you going to wait before you told me you were married?" she heard him call to her. Kat froze and turned around; she now knew why he was being so cruel towards her. "Well I wasn't exactly married, I was just engaged… and I didn't even know if I was going to go through with it… I think he was just there at the…"

"Right place? Right time?" Stretch finished for her and she nodded slowly.

"So then what were we fleshie? Just a waste of time until your hubby came around."

"Stretch it wasn't like that… it was never like that…" Kat said.

"Well then what was it? I'M DEAD KITTY KAT IT ISN'T LIKE IT COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE! SO WHAT THE HECK WAS IT?!"

Kat felt tears coming to her eyes, "I don't care that your dead…I don't care that it couldn't go any where! I lo-" she cut herself off and turned, "FORGET IT! You know what Stretch… your just bitter. A bitter old ghost who can't move on because he had nothing to live for when he was alive and nothing to live for now that he is dead! YOUR TO STUBBORN TO LET ANYONE IN OR LET ANYONE LOVE YOU! I wasted my time on you." Kat walked away trying not to let out any sobs.

Stretched stared after her shocked, but then felt that shock turn into the only emotion he seemed to be able to know. Anger. He flew down through the floor and into the basement.

"Nothing to live for huh… we will just see about that." He looked around his brother's huge cave like lab. "You can't tell me in all this junk you have lying around that you didn't leave the instructions for that machine of yours around here some place…" Stretch said flying from the desk to a huge pile of boxes and then to a filing cabinet.

"Kat doubts my abilities… Kat doubts my desires, my want… she thinks I am just some bitter old ghost who had no reason to live… well I am dead… why have a reason to live… you have to be alive to have a reason to live. I can do dat. I can show her."

Stretch flew over to the desk and yanked on a book that lay there, it didn't come up so he cursed it and tried to pick it up again. When he refused to move he lifted up the cover to find a dusty button. He looked around for no reason and then pushed it. Everything started to shake and he suddenly got an evil smile on his face, this was going to put that nasty little kitty Kat in her place once and for all.

"Let's see who has nothing to live for now Kathryn."

A/n: Sorry it's been so long, I've had this chapter ready for awhile but I had to add the ending. I hope you enjoy it and the turn it has taken. And it isn't over yet this new Casper is going to keep changing, and so will Stretch and Kat. So just keep reading if you want to see how far the rabbit hole goes! R&R


	13. Chapter 13

**A/n: So I have no clue where this story is going, but I know people like it so I will keep adding to it. I am guessing maybe 5 more chapters before things get wrapped up so let's see if I can finish with this. Btw I came to a realization that a lot of people INCLUDING MYSELF date Casper and the ghostly trios deaths back like 200 years… I recently remembered that Casper had a baseball signed by the Brooklyn dodgers…. Ultimate fail….so hopefully this will be up to date ish….on the correct times which I think I messed up in earlier chapters. **

**If Casper was alive in the 1800's, which I would assume since Brooklyn became a team in 1883 then we can assume they have at least been dead for about 127 odd years… to this day… but the movie was made in the 90's I think… but Kat is 25 in this story so that would put it into the 2000's i think… so to make things easier I am just gunna say they've been dead for about 130 years…and now I am done trying to figure it out. If anyone knows for sure, or really wants to take the time to figure it out let me know the real numbers im curious as hell. **

**One more thing, I took creative license with their names… I choose all Irish names so… if they aren't correct that is why. **

** Chapter 13**

Kat sat at the breakfast table and though she had a very delicious looking meal before her she just wasn't hungry. She hadn't seen Stretch since there fight over two weeks ago, Casper had stopped talking, and the ghostly trio now duo was having troubles scaring people with out their leader to guide them. They were lethargic and had a constant bored look on their face.

Kat's dad had written Casper off as a healthy spirit who had just been slightly troubled by the events that had occurred. Kat needed to make a trip into town today; maybe she could pick something up for Casper to help him feel better.

Kat sighed, she really didn't want to deal with Ashley but the girl was absolutely a mess. She was aware that Eddy had been killed, and she was absolutely positive that Casper was to blame. She said she wouldn't tell anyone and if the cops came snooping she would claim he had wondered off drunk one night and not come back. As for her ring that Eddy had tried to get rid of, Casper had found it for her and so though she knew Casper was to blame she held very little resentment towards him it seemed.

She had admitted that Eddy had been cruel to her often. She said that despite the fact that she **had** and still **did** love him she was glad he was no longer part of her life. She was staying in a hotel in town for now and Kat needed to go down and figure out where she was heading next because she wanted to keep an eye on her. Not many people got to stay in Whipstaff and see the ghostly inhabitants with out having to be scared into silence. Kat was wary about letting Ash go back to college, with no one to watch, her who knew what she would do or say.

Kat stood and took her plate to the sink. She couldn't help but think about it all, Casper, Stretch, Eddy, Ashley, so much had happened in only a few weeks and it had all come and gone so fast. Even her romance with Stretch had been briefer then when she had dated Tommy Shultz in fifth grade. That had lasted at least three weeks…. Then they had had to move…. Kat wondered if they would still be together today if she hadn't had to leave. A shroud of serious doubt came over her; nothing is ever serious in fifth grade.

She exited the kitchen and headed towards her room to grab her keys, coat and purse, she had to go talk to Ashley and figure out exactly what her plans were before Kat let her leave. Finally she made her way out of the mansion and towards her father's car.

OOOOOOOOOO

Casper floated in the center of the hallway not moving, he just stared at the window at the end of the hall. Something was not right, something was very wrong and he could feel it hanging in the air outside of the mansion. He managed to make himself float closer to the window, and he looked out onto the ocean. It was angry today despite the sunny weather. The harsh winds that had come in the past few days had decided to help the waves smash against the cliffs and try to escape from their every day confine of the ocean. The white foamy fingers smashed against the cliff and stretched up taking hold and trying to rip chunks of the cliff away. They dissipated and slunk down into the ocean thoroughly upset they had not managed to climb out and escape.

The ocean was angry, it was angry and it was trying to remove something from its body and Casper had a feeling he knew what it was. He turned to head back down the hall and ponder what was to come when suddenly the lights in the mansion started flickering and there was a nasty loud snap and rumble and Casper felt fear go through him, he knew that noise. He rushed through the floors into the basement.

OOOOO

Kat sat outside of the hotel on a park bench. Ashley was gone, her room cleaned out, she had taken off last night in hopes of avoiding what she was sure to come. Kat had planed to talk her into sticking around Friendship in hopes it would help keep things from circulating. Too many people would be showing up at Whipstaff wanting to be scared if word got out. Ghost hunters, documenters, all kinds of mess would open up and take a crap on them if they didn't keep the ghostly trio and Casper a secret. The residents of Friendship had known better. They didn't want reporters of any kind around their little town, so they kept the supposed sightings, and supposed fears to themselves and never really talk much about it.

Kat was worried, what if Ashley had decided to make a profit, what if she was running back to school and going to spread the word that she had seen things other people only wondered about. They were so screwed, Kat would give it about six months. If Ashley didn't come back by then, then the chance was good she wouldn't be back ever. No she couldn't wait; she had to go after Ashley. She stood and headed back to her car. Suddenly Kat heard a familiar voice and looked around for the probably invisible ghost.

"KAT! YOU HAVE TO GET BACK HOME NOW! SOMETHING HAPPENED!" Casper said. Kat looked around but couldn't seem to pinpoint the location of the voice.

"What's wrong Casper?" She felt two little ghost hands take her face and make her look at him, "I can't even begin to explain here! You just have to get home, come on I can fly you!" Casper said staring to lift her off the ground.

"Casper no! Not in broad daylight, my car is right over here!" Kat said pulling her arm away. She rushed over and got in, she made an illegal u-turn and sped off towards Whipstaff.

"What's going on!" She asked Casper who turned visible and looked at her.

"I really don't want to tell you while you're driving, you would probably wrap the car around a tree. I may be dead but you aren't." Casper said as Kat took a very sharp corner exceedingly to fast.

"Does it have to do with Ashley? Did she show up with reporters or something?"

"No, but if she was there with reporters my father's name would be cleared. He would no longer be looked on as a crack pot." Casper said looking out the window as the trees flew by at alarming rates.

Kat felt her insides go numb, her heart started to race even faster then before, she floored the gas and felt the engine jump up into the 90's.

"Kat slow down!" Casper said as she whipped the car onto the grassy hill. She did slow a little and as they made their way up towards the mansion Casper noticed there were dark clouds off in the distance.

"I think it is going to rain." He said trying to start a normal conversation.

They pulled up in front of the mansion and Kat ran to the front door, she pulled open the screen and shoved the front door open.

She went to call for her father but her voice got caught in her throat. Stinky and Fatso floated in air looking with sad faces at a man who Kat had never seen before in her life. Her father looked at her and said, "Ah Kat, your home! I'd like you to meet… um… what do we call you now Stretch?"

The man with the dark violet eyes smiled over at Kat and said, "My name is Kieran Liam McFadden. But you can call me Liam for short."

"Well Kat, meet Liam."

Kat stared with out saying in a word, the shirtless man before her wasn't even a shadow of the ghost she had known. He was tall and lean, with broad shoulders and a small waist. His long lean arms were attached to large capable hands and his long legs looked thick and powerful. Though most girls could look at this man's body and melt her eyes had been paying the most attention to his face. His dark violet eyes gleamed under a head of thick black hair, his once large ghostly nose was thinner and slightly hooked, and his lips were thin but attractive. The smirk on his face was worth a thousand words and Kat knew what they all were.

Stretch was alive. He was a breathing, eating, sleeping human man. He could touch her, or beat her, or love her. And she could say nothing about it. In all her inner controversy over everything she was seeing and taking in the only word she found she could utter was, "H-how?"

"My bother ain't the only one who thinks around here." Kat noticed most of the Brooklyn accent he had had as a ghost was gone he sounded so different. In fact she almost thought she heard a little bit of an Irish accent. Why was that? She wasn't even sure this was really Stretch.

"I d-don't understand." Kat said looking at him, the shock still smeared like a giant sign across her face.

"Nothing to understand Kitty Kat. I just decided to take my after life into my own hands, no more floating around… no more scaring folks… just me being alive and enjoying what ever life I got left in this old body. And how I missed it. Let me tell you, I forgot how nice it was to have a real libido again."

"Alright, that's enough." Dr. Harvey said cutting in, his face red from embarrassment, "Stretch… I mean… Liam, let's go have a talk in my office…" Dr. Harvey took hold of Liam's wrist and started to lead him away, "Sure thing Doc, but later on I think your daughter and I need to have a little talk. Ain't that right sweet cheeks!" Kat felt her stomach flip; she was going to throw up. As soon as Liam was inside the library Stinky and Fatso fly over to Kat, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT FLESHIE!" Stinky said with anger in his eyes, "He was just fine with being dead till YOU came back!"

"I didn't do ANYTHING! I didn't tell him to do this! I don't even know how he did it! It was impossible. Casper and I tried to recreate the serum used in the Laserus experiment but it isn't possible!" Kat spat.

"Well somehow he found a way and he is refusing to let us end his life so he can get on with his after life! He is completely out of his head right now! How can we be the ghostly trio with only TWO GHOSTS!" Stinky barked trying to get up in Kat's face, Casper came between them and pushed them back from each other.

"Stop it guys, this was uncle Stretch's decision. Kat didn't influence him at all and it wasn't like he was tired of you two. Lord knows after one hundred some years being tired of you two was probably the last thing on his mind. I am thinking this is just uncle Stretch's way of dealing with his mid-death crisis." Casper said.

"You mean… you tink he was gunna cross over and wasn't ready or something?" Stinky asked looking at Fatso in shock.

"You never know, I mean, he was the first to die, he has been dead the longest besides my dad… and I think he may have realized he wasn't going to be around much longer. I mean what un-finished business could he have?" Casper asked.

"But we agreed years and years ago we wouldn't cross over until…" Fatso stopped and looked at Casper.

"Until what?" Kat asked.

"Until you did." Stinky said looking at Casper.

Casper floated there in his own state of shock, "What?" He asked.

"Well, we are your uncles after all, and we died pretty happy… sort of anyway… it isn't like we had any unfinished business in OUR lives… aside from you… we couldn't just leave you here all alone. Your parents would have killed us in the other world… they would have ranted for a thousand years or more if we had left you down here alone…" Stinky said.

"So… I'm your unfinished business?" Casper said slowly.

"Yup, you got it glow worm." Fatso said with a smile.

"Wow… never saw that coming." Kat said.

"Yeah, well, Stretch was actually pretty fond of Casper here, he got annoyed the little brat wouldn't scare people but… I mean you can't make someone do something they don't want to do… if you care about them anyway." Stinky said looking at the library, "Fatso come on, let's listen in." They turned invisible and flew towards the closed doors.

"And you thought they hated you." Kat said moving after them and heading for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Casper asked.

"I am going to your dad's laboratory, I got to see how Stretch made that damn machine work." Kat said. Casper flew up beside her and joined her on her march.

OOOOOOOO

Stretch, or rather, Liam stood on the edge of the cliff and stared out at the ocean. It had been so long since he had felt a breeze on his face, since he had smelled real air, since he had tasted the ocean's winds and really actually felt the sun's warm rays kiss his skin. He ignored the slightly cold bite on his shirtless body, and drank in the nature that had once again become part of his life.

"Str- Uh… Liam… can we talk to you?" Came a familiar ghostly voice.

"What you need Rory." He said casually with out turning around.

"Rory? You haven't called me Rory in over…"

"One hundred and fifty-six years! HA HA! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SIX YEARS BOYS!" Liam said turning to look at the two ghosts before him.

"ALEC! Come on!" He said smiling at Fatso.

"Liam, it's just so… I mean… we love you… it's just… I mean we are glad for you but…" Stinky stumbled over his words.

"What about us?" Fatso finished for him. Their faces were sad, down cast as if they had been neglected.

"We don't mind being dead… but… you left us." Stinky said raising his sad gold eyes to look at their brother.

"You promised you'd never leave us." Fatso said.

Liam stared at them and then said, "Rory, Alec… I am still here for you… if you need anything you can come to me… I've always looked out for you… I always will… just because we aren't dead together… doesn't mean we can't…"

"What? Scare people? Fly around… travel?" Fatso asked.

"Your human now Liam… your not Stretch… you can't come with us… you can't scare with us… your not one of us… the ghostly trio really is a duo." Stinky said turning to float back towards the house.

"I can't come with you… but why not come with me?" Liam asked looking at the two ghosts. They looked at him and stared, "Come on! I can make more juice, I can bring you back to life… it can be us three running that town. We got plenty of money… we know where we hid it. We could start over, have families… this is just the beginning."

"Liam… you'd do dat for us?" Stinky asked.

"Course I would. I wouldn't leave you out in the cold…"

"But what about the little glow worm?" Fatso said looking back at the house, "We can't just leave him… he is our un-finished business."

Liam looked at the house and stared a second, he was contemplating, he was debating in his mind what the effects of that would be. Casper more then any of them deserved to be brought back. He had made so many sacrifies, given so much, lost so much. He deserved to be a kid again, a human kid, to grow up and learn and love and experience…. But coming back as a 12 year old… with Kat being 25… what would happen…he was acting strange as it was since that waste of flesh Eddy had been killed. What was he going to be like when he was alive again?

Liam looked at his brothers, "Come on, let's go to our brothers little hide out."

OOOOOO

Kat looked all around, not a single shred of paper that would hint as to where on earth Stretch had found the ingredients to make more of the serum. "God this is so frustrating!" Kat said throwing her arms down in annoyance, "How could he figure it out and we couldn't? What are we missing!"

"You're missing the experience of how things worked with my little brother." Came a voice that chilled Kat to the bone. Liam stood on the middle of the ramp that led from the tunnels; Stinky and Fatso were on either side of him. "You see Katherine. Here is your flaw; you didn't know what to look for. You were looking for notes or something right? Maybe a book that held all the ingredients in an orderly fashion from size and shape and such… well my baby brother wasn't as clean cut as that." He started to walk down the ramp towards them, a pleased swagger that made Kat sick.

"The funny thing is, he was the messiest of the four of us. That is probably what gave him away as a genius. Looking for something specifically was the exact thing you shouldn't do when trying to find something in my brothers mess." He said motioning to the lab. As he came to the bottom of the ramp he walked slowly towards Kat who could feel the sexual tension between them building with each step.

"I found it because I knew to avoid the obvious and look for the less then obvious… like I don't know say… a baseball…" Stretch said pulling it out from behind his back.

"MY TREASURE!" Casper said shocked.

"Wait… I am so confused…." Kat said looking at Liam.

"Watch and learn pretty kitty." Liam pulled one of the nasty old strings on the ball and slowly the thing unlaced, as he pulled off the outer brown leather that covered it instead of seeing the string that was inside they saw a piece of paper wrapped around something. Liam removed the piece of paper and then put the brown leather back on the ball. He pulled the string on the opposite side and the lace's pulled tight again.

"My brother built this machine to raise Casper from the dead. So it would only make sense he should hide the most important part of the machine in a place that was close to his boy's heart."

Liam dropped the ball into Kat's hand and she stared at it. "Damn." She said softly.

"Alright boy's, give me two weeks and I will have enough serum for you two to use so you can regain what you lost." Liam said walking over to the oddly dusted off lab that was set up in the far corner.

"WHAT?" Kat and Casper said at the same time.

"He is gunna humanize us!" Stinky said happily, "WE CAN EAT FOOD AND TASTE IT!" Fatso said happily.

"Wait wait wait, this isn't okay Stre-… er… Liam… this isn't all right… you can't bring them back! You shouldn't even be back!" Kat said looking at his bare back in disbelief. His skin looked so flawless and perfect and warm and…. PAY ATTENTION KAT!

"I can bring them back and I will… I've never done anything with out my brothers living or dead… and I can't break up the perfect trio of brothers for my purely selfish reasons and not bring them back too." Liam said with an evil smile, he was baiting her, waiting for her to ask his reason.

"I CAN'T WAIT TO RIDE SOME HORSES!" Stinky said spinning in the air, "And I can't wait to really try a buffet, I've scared people away from so many of them but…I've never actually eaten at one!" Fatso said flying around in circles.

"Stretch come on! You could get in trouble!" Kat said.

"From who?"

"You know who…" Kat said between clenched teeth pointing up at the ceiling.

"Are you kidding me… you're trying to tell me that even though they granted my nephew over there humanity for an hour of his after life, and after you already tried to bring Casper back YOURSELF and you DID bring your father back… you saying they are really going to start getting on us?"

Kat didn't know what to say, she had brought her father back against the natural order of things, but she had needed him. She couldn't be alone… and from what her father had said Kat's mother Amelia had been sent to tell him that he was going to be around for quit some time taking care of Kat.

And as for Casper, he was a little kid when he had died not a big strapping man like Liam was… not that he was THAT strapping. "B-but Casper died young, he deserved to be changed back…. To get a second chance at life…" Kat said angrily.

"And that is why I am going to try and bring back Casper too…. We will be one big happily freaking family al over again."

Casper flew close, "Really uncle Liam? You are going to try and bring me back?"

"Sure thing short sheets… just gunna take a bit…"

"Why's that? You have the ingredients…" Kat said.

"Sort of." Liam said looking around and grabbing things from all over the workstation.

"What do you mean sort of?" Kat asked.

Liam sighed and turned around, he leaned against the table and crossed his arms, "Here is the thing… though I know my brother well I am no expert on how or why he does certain things. But I can tell you this… this recipe I have is not the original… I found it yes, but all to soon did I realize that it's a second version of the original recipe that works."

"Oh… why does that matter." Casper asked.

"Well, in this version of the recipe you need DNA from your parents."

"What?" Kat asked.

"You see, the original recipe could be made out of anyone's DNA… aka, a piece of hair or a finger nail or some blood… didn't matter who. The machine could take that DNA and replicate you and spit you out. I have absolutely no clue how it could make you look like you… since the DNA was from someone else… I was not my brother… he was a psycho genius. In all honesty the first original recipe isn't even possible. You can't use someone else's DNA to remake you… because their DNA is genetically coded to them… it's what makes them an individual." Liam said.

"How do you know all this?" Kat asked.

"Didn't I tell you I was smarter then you a few weeks ago… now shut up and listen…" Kat felt herself blush but she didn't say anything.

"There was only one bottle ever made of the original recipe… at least that is what it said in my brothers Journal… he claimed he didn't want the recipe to be to easy to reproduce for fear that if it worked and people found out they would take the machine and try and use it to bring back certain people that didn't need to be brought back."

"Trust me, there are plenty of kings from England that just need to stay dead." Stinky said with a snide laugh.

"So he altered the recipe, changed some things and now… the only way you can reanimate someone is if you have the DNA from both their mother and father.

"But how did you do it? How did you find the DNA you needed…. Your parents have had to have been dead over 200 years… I mean you guys have been dead since when the 1800's?" Kat asked.

"We died in 1921… I think Casper was already dead." Fatso said looking at Stinky with confusion.

"No no, Casper died the winter of 1920… Casper stuck around and the next five years was his dad building this damn machine because he thought Casper was haunting him. Then we died in 1925… we were… well what we were doing doesn't matter… but we died and he had to bury us three and then he lost Sarah…." Liam said trailing off.

"Sarah." Stinky and Fatso said solemnly in unison.

"Whose Sarah?" Kat asked.

"Casper's dear dear mother. The most kind gentle type woman I'd ever met." Liam said looking down. Kat glanced at Casper who was staring off into space.

"We are getting off track… how did you get the DNA you needed… it shouldn't be possible." Casper said his eyes never leaving the floor.

"Oh it's possible… your father thought of everything. He took blood from your mother when she was laying on her death bed, and he took blood from himself. He stored it and that's what I can use for Casper... the problem is it might not be any good. And I have no clue where he stored it."

"But you still haven't answered our question, Where are you going to get DNA for stinky and Fatso? Where did you get DNA for YOURSELF, your parents are long dead… nothing would be left…"

"You see there is the trick, we all died BEFORE my parents, Casper's Grandparents died. They were the ones who check Casper's dad into the psycho bin. They woke up and caught him taking blood from them. He wanted to have the ability to bring us back and himself too, along with Casper and eventually his wife. However getting the DNA from his wife's parents would have been close to impossible. They were not very friendly people."

"So you mean, my father, after he brought me back wanted to not only bring my uncle's back but my mother too?" Casper asked.

"Yes… but your mother had no unfinished business. Even if your father had gotten the DNA from your other grandparents J.T. wouldn't have been able to bring her back. She died a very happy woman… sort of anyway." Liam said going back to work on the mix."

"This is so confusing." Kat said staring at Casper.

"Tell me about it, my heads spinning!" Fatso said, he took his head off his shoulder and spun it on his finger like a basketball. Stinkie laughed and Liam glanced over and smirked.

Casper had been thinking and suddenly something came back to his mind, "Uncle Stretch… I mean… Uncle Liam… something is going on in the Ocean… something very bad… I can feel it." Liam looked up at Casper and then to his two brothers, "Go check it out." He said. Stinke and Fatso saluted and rushed off, "I wanna go to!" Casper raced after them.

Kat and Liam were left alone, he seemed to register this and slowly, very slowly put down what he was working on and turned to her. She was nervous, scared almost, he could really hurt her now, or love her… he could turn her away and now she really would have something to lose….

Liam motioned with his head to come to him. Kat shook her head and stayed where she was. Liam shrugged and turned back to his work. The silence was deafening. She slowly got up the courage after standing there staring a few moments. She got closer and reached her arm out to touch his skin, his warm tan skin. Suddenly he spun around and grabbed her wrist and yanked her to him. He turned and shoved her ass against the table. His hands rubbed down her sides and then down her waist and around to her ass where he gave it a firm squeeze. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth and pushed his groin into hers.

Kat gasped in shock, in fear, her heart was racing and she felt weak, Liam leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "I got something to live for now…and I am lusting over it as we speak." He pulled her close, as close as he could, and Kat wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt like she was being more reckless and dangerous then she had ever been in her life.

"Look at me." Liam said, she looked up into his violet eyes, which were now bright and shiny. "Your mine now… got it?" Kat just stared into those eyes, "Mine." He said again trying to make a point. He leaned in and tried to kiss her, she moved her head back and he smirked, "Scared huh… that I might taste good, that I may leave you actually wanted me so badly you can't think…I sure hope so." He chased her lips and caught them and suddenly Kat was no longer free, she was Liam's girl… and it scared her to no end.

**R/R: Okay, here is the next chapter that so many people wanted, I am sorry it took so long! But I love you all and I hope you all enjoy it. Next one coming soon! Please let me know what you really thought. Reviews would be helpful…very helpful….**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I am so glad you all are liking this story. I was inspired to kick out that last chapter. I am hoping I don't get writers block again because I always hate when stories I like do that so I try not to. But I think I know where I am going from here. Enjoy! **

**Oh and just a heads up…. I have changed the rating from K+ to T so anyone who had issues with this should probably site read. There is a mature scene in this chapter… if that makes you uncomfortable just read up to it and then skip over it and read on. **

**Chapter 14**

**Haunted **

"I don't know what he wants… what is expected… I have no clue what he thinks can happen." Kat said pacing the library like a horse would pace around a pole.

"Well, a lot can happen now that my uncle is flesh and blood… he may be very serious about you or he may just be pulling your leg. At this point Kat I would say you have two choices… you either engage him, keep this going and figure it out the hard way, or disengage and call it all off before you find out exactly what he wants."

The little white ghost stared out the library window; he had taken to doing this whenever he could. Any window in the house that looked out towards the ocean, the awful ocean, that churned and bubbled and screamed for his attention.

"The thing is, I don't know if I can disengage… he said I was his… that there was no way out of it. He had given up his soul's freedom and final resting to have me so I had no choice in the matter. I mean he was so serious about it… I am scared… Casper… what if I decide I don't want this and he won't let it go… he is alive now… he could hurt me." Kat sank into a chair and sat with her hands folded in her lap. Tears were just about to stream over, and she was pale.

Casper had finally pulled his attention away from the window and turned to her, he stared at his long time friend and his blue eyes softened slightly. He floated over and sat down next to her, "Come on Kat, this isn't you. Your not a Mary Sue."

"A what?" Kat asked.

"A Mary Sue, it's a female character in a book that does nothing but play the victim, she needs to be saved every five seconds, is helpless, stupid and awfully dim. No reader likes a Mary Sue."

Kat looked at her hands, "But he makes me feel so vulnerable, so weak and helpless… just his stare drives me crazy. I have always been able to be strong and independent and capable. But with him it is just… so hard to be sturdy and level headed."

"Let me tell you something about my uncle, he loves coy, and he loves someone who will challenge him. He may act like he hates it but my uncle is not a fan of Mary Sue's. If you roll over and be too submissive he WILL eventually lose interest. So here is my final advice on the matter… if you WANT him to keep his interest in you… if you want this to go some place… don't always back down, speak up and let him know you will challenge him. If you want this to be over with quickly, with as little pain as possible to either of you… let him have his way… all the time… don't challenge, fall in line and submit. It's up to you Kat, but never ever think that you don't have a choice."

Casper kissed her softly on the cheek and then gave a small smile and floated back towards the window. Kat stared after him, in the passed few days since Eddy had been… dispatched… Casper and grown more and more distant, more silent and serious. Someone who was much older replaced his twelve-year-old self and it bothered Kat. But no matter what she did she couldn't seem to pull him out of it. She sighed and with out a word left the library to go and think. She had a very difficult choice to make, but hey, at least she had a choice.

000000

Liam stood over the vials at the worktable in the cave. He had the entire amount of DNA he needed for his brothers… but Casper's was still hidden. Why his brother had gone to such lengths was beyond him. But it had to be some place hidden in the house or in the lab.

He couldn't change over Fatso and Stinkie until he had the DNA for Casper. He would need to go to the Library and to his brother's room and try to find a journal, find letters, and find anything that may tell Liam where the Blood would be stored.

Suddenly, "Yo Stretch… dinner time!" Came Stinkie's annoying call from the ceiling of the cave. "Be up." He said not even bothering to look at his brother.

"Kat made pork roast!" And with that he disappeared again leaving Liam to walk up the ramp and through his brother's labyrinth like passageways.

OOOOOO

Kat was going to do it after dinner, she was going to take control, and be daring, and spontaneous and she was going to make Liam HERS. All this talk of being his was making Kat miserably nervous. She wanted to be with him but not at the price of losing her self and what she believed in. She was a strong independent woman who wanted a man like Liam but also wanted to have some control over HER life.

Dinner went smoothly, Liam ate so slow most everyone afterwards stared at him in surprise. They were used to the ghostly trio eating faster then lighting. He ate so slow you would think he was frozen. He had finally noticed the silence and looked up, "This is the first time I've been able to actually TASTE a meal in over one hundred some years… this is actually going to sit in my stomach, which I HAVE now... and eventually I am going to shit it out. I want to savor it as long as I can."

Stinkie, Fatso, the Doc and Kat cracked up, even Casper smiled, "So does this mean our sessions are officially terminated?" Doctor Harvey asked looking at Liam over folded hands, "After all I am a spectral doctor, I no longer cater to the needs of the living."

"I may come by for a visit or two but I highly doubt I will be in need of your… advice. No offence."

"None taken, I think this is a fresh start. Though I hope you know what you have gotten yourself into. This is a new time, new technology, you can't expect to just pop back into society and know everything. It will take awhile for you to catch up."

"Oh don't worry, I been studying. It ain't going to be that hard. Besides I have an expert when it comes to current times, right Kat?" Liam said looking at her. She stared back a moment and nodded.

"She has offered to give me a small lecture on the recent updates in the world after dinner actually. Which I will be late for but I will still be there… your room at ten right?" Liam asked looking at her.

Kat was shocked but tried not to show it, he was leading her and for now she followed. This would be a good time to finally figure out where they stood and if she could actually be the strong woman she needed to be around him. He was good at hiding things. No one knew he had just randomly set up a meeting time for them, and they seemed in different and clueless.

"Right ten… I can show you it via my laptop."

"Yes… your lap top." Liam said eyeing her face and then allowing his eyes to wonder her body. Kat looked away and blushed. He was so good at making her feel so open. She pulled her jacket tightly about her and excused herself. "See you then." She cleared her plate and walked out of the kitchen.

OOOOOO

At ten o'clock Kat was in her room and nervous as all get out. She had put her charm next to the door. That way no one who shouldn't be could listen in. This was either going to be a wonderful moment or a very painful one.

She went into her bathroom and brushed through her hair slowly, then she removed her jacket and wondered if she had time to slip into her pajamas. She went out into her room and stopped dead and jumped a little when she saw Liam sitting in a chair in the corner of her room. Spinning her room key by they small chain on his finger. His eyes stared her down and then he slowly stood. He put the key on the chair behind him and slowly started to walk to her.

"Listen… Liam… before we get to far into this I think we need to figure out where we stand and what it is exactly you want."

He stood in front of her now and slowly unbuttoned her shirt, "I mean, you just got back to life, and I am no push over. I mean we haven't even dated yet or anything, I barely know anything about you…you know nothing about me… and it's going so fast one minute your dead and then your alive and now your undressing me I mean this is ridiculous."

He was smirking so cruelly now, "Your letting me undress you." He said innocently.

"Yeah but I don't have to let you ya know… I have a choice." She pushed him away and walked over to her vanity. She looked at her body in the mirror, red lacy bra… the one she had been wearing in the bathroom the day Stretch... Kat shivered. He came up behind her and rubbed down her arms.

"You want me to though… so the decision isn't that hard." He undid her bra and gently pulled it off. Then his fingers slowly traced their way down her body to her pants, he reached around front and undid a button. Kat jumped away and backed up until she hit a wall. "Stretch… Liam… I mean… we can't… I CAN'T! It's not that I don't want to it's just… I mean… I'm a virgin… I can't just let you…" she stammered.

Liam crossed to her and leaned over her, he was so freaking tall it made Kat's knees shake. "I promise I will be gentle… it won't hurt none at all. I know what I am doing… you know how many girls I've had…" he started.

Kat looked up at him with a glare, "Oh really? How many girls HAVE you had Stretch… you player… how many girls did you de-virginize a day! How many girls were just like me? Scared, nervous, fearful of being hurt and used and left and you just walked up and took it away. Tell me how many girls you destroyed." Kat tried to pushed passed but Liam pinned her to the wall.

"Let me get one thing straight with you_ Kathryn_… I NEVER went out of my way to hurt any of the girls I had relations with…. what I meant by that statement was not an attempt at an ego stroking but was more to take away the nerves…. I have made love to plenty of woman who wanted it… virgins or not… and I can promise you none of them ever left my bed disappointed, or hurt, or destroyed. But I won't lie to you… they did eventually leave my bed… but of their choice not mine. If this ever ends I guarantee you will be the one to end it."

He leaned down and kissed her, at first she was in too much shock to kiss back, but when his tongue found it's way in she kissed back fiercely. His nails dug into her skin and she bit into his lip and before she knew what hit her she was on the bed and he was undoing her pants. It slowed back down and when he slid her pants off to reveal her red lace panties he stared a moment and then took them off two, "You are much to beautiful to wear clothing." He said.

Kat at this point had lost her ability to speak she was scared, so nervous and scared and new to this whole thing. The first man to ever see her naked and it was a man who had only been animated two or three days… they weren't even engaged, and far from married. They weren't even boy friend and girl friend they just… were!

The first man to ever see her naked was a man that had been dead long before she was born, had been alive years and years before her own parents. A man who had hated her as a child… this must have been his revenge. His cruel joke. Kat wanted to stop but she didn't want to all at the same time.

His big warm hands slid up from her hips and gripped onto her ribs, rubbing the soft warm skin that slid over her taught belly and sides. Suddenly he reached for her bedside lamp and turned it off, the light from the moon flooded the room.

"Take off my shirt." Liam whispered to her. Kat at first was going to protest, but some how her shaking hands made it to his chest and slowly pulled off his shirt. He took her hands and pressed them to his chest. She heard him suck in air and she rubbed down taking some initiative. She undid his pants and slid them down. He kicked them off all the way and now Kat was glad the light was off. She wasn't sure she could handle seeing a grown man, naked and this close to her.

Yes she was 25, yes she was a hard working independent American woman, and yes she knew that eventually she would have sex. But she never imagined it would be this quick, this dark, and this scary. She never imagined it would be with a man she barely new, a man that had a temper as bad as this man's or a man who could probably beat her to death. He was not a man to be messed with and yet she knew if she wanted this to work she would have to mess all she could. She had to be strong and challenge.

Liam lay down on top of her and spread her legs with his knees, his hands grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head, he leaned in and whispered, "If it hurts let me know… other wise… be quiet and enjoy it… we wouldn't want your daddy running in thinking you were in trouble."

"You said it wouldn't hurt… and I thought you locked the door." She said looking at the outline of his face.

"I did to both of those things, but some girls have different reactions the first time, I am just rather good at making it more comfortable. And just imagine your father's thoughts if he tried to get in and the door was locked… who was the last person that you said would be here with you…" she could heard the evil smile on his face and she wanted to smack it off.

He gently put his mouth to her shoulder and softly sucked. She was busy feeling that when she noticed something else was happening. Something was pushing slowly but persistently at her entrance. She gasped and her eyes grew wide. She knew anatomy rather well and felt the head of his shaft press into her slowly and from there it was a whole new sensation. She gasped little gasps every few seconds as he slowly moved his member into her.

"It's kind of ironic don't you think…. That I am the first man to ever_** stretch**_ you." Kat tried to kick him but the movement seemed to upset her lower regions because she tensed and grunted with pain.

"I wouldn't make any quick movements… your body is in the process of getting used to something new." Kat suddenly felt some pain building up, pressure on her insides.

"It hurts." She whispered a tear in her eye.

"Its almost over." He whispered.

"Stop." She begged thinking it was only going to get worse after this.

"Its almost over kitty Kat. One more little push."

"No more." She cried softly.

Stretch gave a very small pelvic thrust, which got him in all the way, he felt a very small snap across the tip of his length and he knew he had reached his goal. Kat shook below him from the thrust that had surprised her and hurt her and he moved his hands from her wrists to lace his fingers in between her own. "It's done now. Try and relax." He said slowly pulling out and pushing back in. Kat had let out a very small sob thinking that it would hurt when he pushed back in but she seemed to calm down when she realized it didn't hurt as bad.

"See… no problem." Liam said in her ear. He pulled out and pushed back in again. Kat let out a moan, "That's it." He said. He started to speed up a little but not near enough for him to start to climb. He really didn't want to hurt her more then he had to. Some things you just can't avoid.

"Faster." Kat said in a breathy tone.

Liam picked up pace, after several commands from Kat he was at a decent pace and she was digging her nails into his back and sucking on his shoulder. She started to moan louder, Liam could feel what was to come. He made her lay her head back and covered her mouth with his hand. He felt Kat's muscles contract around his shaft and that sent him over the edge. He shoved in as hard as he could which made Kat buck and he exploded inside her, filling her to the brim.

He had managed to stifle his cry of ecstasy and when it was over he collapsed on her and lay there spent. Kat found herself being pulled into his arms and held against him. They were sweaty and exhausted and spent, Liam kissed the back of Kat's head and managed to pull a sheet over their naked bodies. They passed out wrapped in each other's warmth.

OOOOOOOOOO

Kat woke up to find rain pouring against her window, her bed lay empty and she felt sore but satisfied. She wasn't sure if waking up alone was a good sign or bad one but only time would tell. All things consider she felt she was handling the situation rather well. She wasn't crying, she didn't feel like her world was going to fall apart. She didn't even feel used. She felt… completely indifferent to everything that had happened in the past few weeks. She felt strong and embowered and she felt…. Happy.

She got out of bed and walked into her bathroom, she showered, shaved her legs and armpits, she wished she had done that before last night. She got all soapy and made sure she was going to smell like a desert rose. She wanted this to be a positive day, a happy positive day! She got out of the shower and dried off. She wanted to be attractive today, she did her hair in a fancy braid and put on a nice white blouse with her favorite pair of pants, they fit her perfectly in every place. She left her feet bare because she wanted to feel the cool wooden floors on her feet.

Kat left her room and headed for the kitchen. When she arrived everyone was there except Liam. "Morning sweet heart." Doctor Harvey said in a pleasant tone.

"Morning." She said pleasantly sitting down next to Casper. There was a ding from the contraptions that filled the wall where the food was cooked and Casper got up to get it ready to eat. Everyone was silent, even Stinkie and Fatso said very little.

"Why is everyone so quiet." Kat asked looking at everyone.

"Just a quiet morning for once… count your blessings." Doctor Harvey said with a small smile.

At that moment the kitchen doors opened and Liam walked in. He was drenched and breathing a little heavy. He only wore a pair of running pants, no shoes.

"Running in the rain Liam?" Doctor Harvey asked.

"Best way to run, haven't felt rain on my skin in so long."

Stinkie and Fatso looked down at their plates that were barely touched and sneered. Kat could tell they were getting impatient and tired of waiting for their brother to change them and give them their life back. Maybe jealousy… or annoyance also?

Liam sat down and started to eat, he glanced up at Kat who made a indifferent shrug and looked down to eat. She had to play it off like she didn't care, like nothing happened and like she wasn't controlled by her desire. She was happy with the way things had happened, she wasn't broken by any means. Breakfast was quiet until Kat started to clean up.

"So boys, what did you find out in the ocean?" Liam asked his brothers and Casper.

"I ain't got da slightest idea. We went out there, yeah the ocean is angry, very unhappy… but it didn't say much to us." Stinkie said taking a piece of egg and sucking it up his nose. He added some snot from his nose to the egg and then worked it down to his mouth where he chewed it all up and swallowed. Everyone besides Liam and Fatso shivered and struggled to keep their food down.

"You think it has something to do with fly boy?" Fatso asked refuring to the fact Eddy had flown through the air before hitting the hard ocean surface below.

"It could be, after all the ocean likes to claim it's own victims. Just throwing someone in there would be kind of like littering." Liam said stroking his chin.

"Not to mention we kinda made the ocean take him… with the whole tying him to bricks and all. It isn't like the ocean could get rid of him." Fatso chimed in.

"Yeah, I guess we could pull him up and bury him on da cliff." Stinkie said.

"I want him buried far away, far far away. No where near short sheets over there." Liam said nodding to Casper who had been staring out the window, or at least trying to.

"Why not near me?" Casper asked finally paying attention and looking at his uncle.

"You been acting weird enough with him only a few miles off the shore. For your own sake we need to make sure that ass holes body is as far away from you as possible. Maybe you will start acting normal if it's further away." He said leaning back.

"But…" Casper started.

"No buts, you been acting like a zombie… and it's been creeping everyone out. We are moving the body and neither of you two are to tell bulb head where you took it. No less then 500 miles. Do I make myself clear?" Liam asked giving them his warning glare.

"Yup, you got it!" Stinkie said shooting up and pulling Fatso. They were about to fly out of the kitchen when Stinkie turned and looked to the eldest brother, "By the way, could you hurry it up on the potion Stretch? We are getting….bored."

"Sure, no problem." Liam said, his face didn't falter a second but Kat could tell he was lying. Something was wrong, it wasn't going as planned.

Kat had finished cleaning up; she kissed Casper on the head and then kissed her father, giving Liam a certain type of stare that said I want to speak to you now. She turned and left.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Kat was waiting in the library, she paced like usual and was hoping she would get some answers. When the library doors slid opened and then closed she turned to see him standing there. She stared right back refusing to be the first one to move. He broke quickly and walked to her. When he took her up in his arms she pushed away and spoke, "I know you were lying to them. Why can't you make their potions, haven't you made them wait long enough?" Kat asked with anger in her voice.

Liam sighed and looked at her with a smirk, "You don't miss a beat do you kiddo. Okay, here is the deal. I can make the potions yeas, but I won't until I find the DNA needed for Casper's potion. He still needs a ghost guardian as long as he is a ghost."

"Why can't you just turn them and keep looking for the DNA?" Kat asked calming down a little.

"I don't want to do that to Casper at this moment, especially with out odd he has been acting. What if I turn Rory and Alec and then Casper goes crazy and takes off. We wouldn't be able to catch him. He'd get himself into some trouble."

"He's already in trouble Liam. Every since the whole Eddie incident he had been completely numb to anyone and anything. He has no compassion, or kindness left in him. I bet he would scare someone if you asked him to."

"If only I cared about scaring anymore." Liam said looking down, sadness passed over his face but it left just as quick as it had come and he was blocked off like a wall.

Kat walked over and took his hands, "We will figure this out. Just give us a chance to figure this out. You think your brother hid the DNA for Casper?" Kat asked trying to get things straight.

"I know he did, he wanted to make sure everything about this experiment was as safe and clean as possible. He wanted no liability factor. He wanted the power to rest in his hands and die with his family when we would finally all go on."

"There has to be a clue… I don't think he would take the secret to his grave. I really don't. If anything he would want someone to know so they could possibly finish what he started."

"Maybe, there are three possible places, his old room, his study, the library, and the gardens. Those are the places he loved, the places he went to think and imagine. He was an odd boy."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Kat said poking him in the forehead and shoving lightly.

"Funny… listen Kat about last night." He started. Kat felt her knees seize and she knew her breath got caught in her throat because she started coughing.

"Easy doll face. Listen to me… last night wasn't a mistake or a fluke on my part. I wanted to and I still want to, as often as I can. It was nice to lay with someone again… but what I need to talk to you about is the… I mean…"

Kat could see this was awkward for him, she tried to figure out what he wanted to say or ask but she couldn't, "… we need to discuss the chance of you being knocked up."

Kat sat there a second and then breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh is that all?" she asked.

"Yeah, dat's all… I tink it's kind of important." Stretch said, Kat grew excited to hear that accent, that damn Boston accent. She threw her arms around his neck and whispered into his ear, "I love that damn Boston accent." She kissed his lips and then looked into his eyes.

"I am glad you like it doll face but that doesn't explain why you are so giddy about popping out my kid."

"Excuse me but I am not popping out anyone's kid. I am on the pill."

"Da what?" Liam asked.

"The pill… it's a little round medicinal pill that a woman can take and it prevents pregnancy like 80 % of the time… it's pretty nifty."

Liam stared at her and then smiled, "Dat beats my brothers invention by a million years, and here I was freaking out because I didn't know how to use a condom."

"How do you even know what that is?" Kat asked.

"Television works wonders when your dead."

"How can you learn about condoms and not birth control."

"I flip the channel when ever it looks like its going to be a woman commercial… they give me the willies… I mean did you know they got a thing for woman that goes up her…"

"Stop!" Kat said laughing.

"It's a piece of cotton with a cord on it and they use it for…" Kat covered his mouth and said, "Yes Liam I know what a tampon is. I am a woman after all. Now shut up about it… five years ago if someone had told me I would be talking to Liam "Stretch" McFadden about tampons, condoms and birth control pills I would have laughed my ass off and told them they were stoned or drunk off their ass."

"Why not both." Liam said wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"How about neither…" she spun out from under his arm and started up the ramp, "Casper and I will check all of the aforementioned spots in the house and get back to you on the DNA… until then do something useful… jump off a cliff." She turned and blew him a kiss and walked away.

Liam stared after her and then smirked, "What a dame."

**A/N: What do you think? Too much? Not enough? Let me know what you thought! Peace and love friends! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 **

**Reawakening **

Stinkie and Fatso had been flying high in the sky with the body of Eddie Horshire dangling below for a good 6 hours. "Are we there yet?" Fatso asked Stinkie.

"Almost, just over here, we can drop him in the volcano…. No evidence should make Stretch happy for once." Stinkie murmured under his breath.

When they were finally hovering over the top Stinkie's mouth watered, "WHEW! SMELL THAT SULFER! I AM IN HEAVEN!"

"I think I've lost my appetite." Fatso cried.

"Alright, drop what is left of the fleshie on three…. ONE… TWO…THREE!" They tossed the body and watched it fall like a sack of beans to the fiery pit bellow. "Let's get back… don't wanna miss dinner." Stinkie shot off and Fatso darted after him.

OOOOO

Down below in the pit of the volcano the fire and lava bubbled and burned hot, the two brothers hadn't seen the body land on a slab like rock because the smoke that was rising out of it was thick and dark.

For a long time nothing happened, the wet soggy clothes dried out and started to burn up, the pale slimy skin started to dry and then peel away. The rubber on the shoes started to melt and then suddenly, in the bubbling, churning heat of the volcano the body lurched.

It jerked from side to side, slid and hopped and jumped and bounced and flailed as if it were caught in an earthquake. The eyes remained empty and grey, as if he had been blind his whole life. His mouth hung open as if to scream from the heat.

And then, as if it hadn't happened the body lay still, and the rock that had been holding it broke in half and allowed the human corpse to slide off into the heat of the volcano.

Nothing could be heard but the bubbles popping, and the lava churning and pops and sticky blurbs as the volcano tried to digest its victim. Anyone who had watched this scene would have prayed the volcano victorious, alas at the last moment something emerged from the heat. A burning hand shot fourth and started to pull up. The hand was followed by an arm and then by a shoulder and then another hand shot forward to help with the climb.

The back of a head emerged and was then flung back harshly sending lava flying, as if the creature had just emerged from a swimming pool. The creature clung to the side of the volcano's wall and for a moment said nothing. It looked at it's hand, studied it carefully, and then with a very sharp thrust, threw his head back and allowed a very rocky laugh to escape from his throat. It echoed up and out of the volcano and carried on the wind away from the island it was on, towards a country far away. The wind carried the laugh so far that it could be heard by all the animals it passed by and it could be heard by a little white ghost who looked to the sky with alarm.

00000

"Liam, I am telling you there can't be any place we haven't looked. We have checked every single room in this house, every corridor, hallway, bathroom, bookcase, kitchen, I mean every single place. There is no way the DNA is in this house." Doctor Harvey stated stamping his cane on the floor to make his point.

It had been the longest thing the Doc had said in a while so all of the people had turned to look at him, all the people being Liam, Kat, and the ghostly duo. They were all digging through boxes in the attic.

"I am telling ya, it has got to be here. Some place, my brother wouldn't have just thrown it all out… it has to be here."

"Maybe we should try bulb heads room… no one has looked there." Stinkie said.

"Good idea… hey where is short sheets anyway?" Liam asked looking around.

"He went for a walk… said he wanted to get some fresh air and clear his head." Fatso said sniffing at some peanut butter that was on a near by rattrap. To eat or not to eat.? He debated.

"Maybe it will due fog bank some good." Liam said, "Stinkie and Fatso, go check out his room. Doctor Harvey if you would be so kind as to check the basement?" Liam asked looking at him. The doctor rolled his eyes and sighed. With a quick nod he headed down towards the basement.

"You know Liam, if I didn't know any better I would say you are trying to get rid of them just to be alone with me." Kat said turning to look at him with an evil little smirk.

"Not now Kathryn, we gotta find that DNA before my brothers have a fit." Liam said digging through an old trunk.

Kat tried not to visibly pout, she turned to look at herself in the mirror and remembered the last time she had looked in this mirror for longer then a glance had been the night of the party. She saw herself now, at her current age and for a second she was really lost in her own eyes. Not to say she was egocentric, but she could see all the years that had already gone by rest heavy in those eyes. She was so tired, and so weak and suddenly she was on the ground.

OOOOO

Liam turned around just in time to see Kat fall, "Oh Hell." He said jumping over to her. He sunk down and pulled her into his arm so her back was resting across his knees. "What the heck did you do Kathryn?" he asked shaking her. She didn't wake up right away. It took two or three shakes before she slowly opened her eyes, "If this is how you plan to get my attention Kathryn it is really going to be hard to ignore you." Liam said with a small smirk.

"My head is throbbing." She said groggily.

"What were you doing when you passed out?" Liam asked helping her sit up.

"I was… I was… what was I doing?" she asked herself quietly. She looked around herself and when she looked at the mirror she shied away. "I was looking into the mirror." She said.

"Oh, that explains it." Liam said now trying to get her to stand, "Can you make it?" he asked trying to make her laugh.

"I am okay just dizzy, and my head hurts, what do you mean by that explains it?"

"Well Doll face, here is the ting about dat mirror." His other accent surfacing for a moment. Kat swooned and sighed.

"You see Casper's dad wasn't just an inventor. He was an explorer and he had a taste for the odd and creepy and cursed. He traveled a lot, and he often brought back things from different countries. This mirror was one of the first things he brought back. He told us that it has an evil spirit in it, that the spirit makes people see things when they look into it for to long… it can over power their senses and render them helpless. Its all very dark witch doctor kinda stuff." Liam said covering the mirror with a sheet.

"But I've looked into it before, I never had a problem." Kat said angrily.

"Was Casper with you?" He asked turning and looking at her.

"Well yes, I only ever come up here to see him. "

"That's why, Casper has this ability to cancel out negative energy, that spirit in the mirror is not strong enough to really effect Casper, but he can still effect anyone human. The fact that Casper was with you made his negative effects cancel out."

"So Casper is like a small white anti-evil shield?" Kat asked.

"Yeah you could say that." He looked around the attic one last time, "I bet you anything my brother hid the DNA in a secret spot that we will never find. The selfish bastard just couldn't stand the idea of anyone finding it."

"Wait a second…" Kat said pushing away from Liam, "What is it kitty kat?"

"Secret spot…" Kat said to herself, before Liam could ask what she said she was off.

OOOOOOO

Kat ran as fast as she could, if she was right this would fix everything. She ran down the halls and soon heard heavy footfalls behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Liam running after her, "Come on handsome just try and keep up!" Kat said putting on some speed, she turned a corner a little sharper then she wanted and her shoulder slammed into the wall, she laughed like a little girl.

Suddenly the feet behind her sped up and she turned, he was almost on her. She tried to add more speed but she was getting winded and tired. She looked again to see his arm reaching out for her, she made an excited little noise and as his hand grabbed her shoulder she stopped abruptly. Liam ran right into her and they toppled.

Both of them lay there in heap breathing heavy, "What the fuck was dat all about?" Liam said shoving Kat off. For a moment she heard the old Stretch. The ghost that she seemed to be missing more frequently then she expected.

"I know where the DNA is hidden." Kat said happily.

"You do?" Liam said giving her a strange look.

"Yup." Kat reached over behind a suit of armor and pushed in the back of the calf. A little compartment opened and she pulled out a book. Liam watched as she reached back in and felt around, "There is a panel under where I keep my journal, it is stuck, Casper and I have never been able to get it open, and for some reason he can't phase through it. I bet you anything the DNA is in there." Kat gave the panel's little handle a tug but it didn't budge.

"Give it a try." Liam looked at her and then reached in. He felt around until he felt the latch.

Liam let his finger trace over the smooth metal of the latch. How had the ghostly trio never found this, they looked for her journal for months until they finally gave up. It was here all along. He suddenly felt stupid and sighed, "It feels like instead of pulling the latch like you been trying to do….you got to…" Liam pushed the latch in and then turned it. "Push it in and turn." He said smiling triumphantly.

The smile made Kat snort and she softly said, "I tried that once…" her defensiveness made him smirk even more. "I bet you did." He said. The latch popped open and Liam reached his hand inside. He felt something cool and cylindrical. He wrapped his fingers gently around it and pulled it out. In his hand was a vile of dark red liquid.

"You did it Kat." He said with a smiled on his face, "And now our whole family can be together again…" He leaned over and kissed her quickly and then got up and walked down the hall looking at the vile in his palm as if he had the treasure of some ancient king now in his grasp.

**A/N: Read and review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter let me know! **


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: This is the part of the story I am most excited to write. Hopefully I will have enough time now to keep updates constant and fluid and solid. Keep letting me know what you think. **

**Chapter 16**

**Welcome home **

Liam had spent the last three days in the caves below, working on the serum for the machine. No one but Kat really saw him since Stinkie and Fatso had been in and out, wondering through the town stealing things here and there that they were excited to try when they finally were flesh and blood again.

Casper was starting to act like himself again, though every once and awhile he would look off to the west and stare. At one point Kat and him had been sitting in the gardens talking. He had jerked his head to the West, Kat out of worry had asked what it was, "Did you hear that?" he asked.

"Not a thing." Kat had said.

Dr. Harvey had taken to going into town more often too and Kat had a sneaking suspicion that he may have met someone, a nice lady friend. Though she doubted it thoroughly.

"Oh skunk piss and vomit!" Stinkie cried with joy, "I can't wait to taste chewing gum, and I can't wait to see the ladies and ride horses and…" he floated through a wall in the kitchen as Kat wrapped up Stretches lunch. She slowly made her way towards the chair in the upper part of the library. As she sat down she put the basket on her lap and reached up towards the lamp. She pulled one of the beaded strings hanging from it and pulled down. Instant the chair swung around and started the trip down.

When she reached the bottom, she thanked her lucky stars that her and Casper had taken apart the Up-and-Adam machine. Now the ride down was much more enjoyable.

She left the ramp to see Stretch peering at a vial of purple liquid. "What's that?" she asked casually.

"Ain't you ever heard about curiosity killing the Kat?" he asked glancing at her and then at the basket. She had been spoiling him lately. He played coy and asked, "What's dat?"

Kat rolled her eyes and then said, "Lunch as usual, you have to eat you know… now that you're human and all." She sat the basket down on the table and looked at all the different colored test tubes.

"Why so many colors, I thought the stuff was supposed to be blood red." Kat said. She had always gotten decent grades in her high school classes but science was never her favorite.

"I am using a different process. It helps to purify it a little more, make sure Casper won't be recreated with the same sickness he died with."

"That's smart… but I thought you had to follow your brothers instructions or it wouldn't work?"

"I never said I am not using creating process he did for the serum, that of course has to stay the same, but the purifying process has no particular need to be the same as it was. Medicine has advanced in the last hundred years… and I don't feel like being responsible for any of my brothers or nephews early deaths, lord knows they already went through that… time for them to die at a decently respectable age."

Kat smiled, "People are so different when they are alive versus when they are dead aren't they."

"What makes you say that?" Liam asked as he dug through his lunch basket.

"You never really seemed to care this much for your brothers, or Casper when you were dead." Kat said.

Liam looked down for a second and then sighed, "It's different when your dead Kat… you can grow very bitter, very lonely…. and very tired." He said pulling out a ham and cheese sandwich and biting into it."

"What do you mean?" Kat asked.

Liam inwardly had to pull back his anger, what did she mean what did he mean? Isn't it obvious? He thought. She had no idea and she never would, not unless she died and had to hang around haunting for a few hundred years.

"Let me put it to you dis way. Imagine floating around for a hundred years, always thirsty and always hungry. You ccan't feel anything, taste anything, smell anything or touch anything. People you might love would slip right through you, not even a chance for a kiss, or a chance to lay them down and love them all night long. You just are, and no matter what you do, or where you go, people see you and scream and run away. You can't save yourself at this point either because the anger and aggression just keeps building. And you can't get rid of it. You now have one hundred years to think about all your mistakes, all the people you hurt, all the problems you left unsolved with yourself and with others… and there is no escape."

Kat thought a moment, "It's almost like being in purgatory... the punishment you must suffer before you get sent to Heaven." Kat looked fascinated. It wouldn't fascinate her so much if she had had to go through it Liam thought with anger.

"More like being sent straight to Hell with no hope of escaping." Liam corrected.

"But you could have crossed over at any time, you could have escaped this place and gone to Heaven." Kat said.

"Trust me kitty Kat… A bone bag like me wouldn't have gone to Heaven…" Liam said eating the last bite of his sandwich and turning to go back to work.

"That's it then isn't it… that's why you stayed here… you were scared to be cast away from Heaven… you didn't want to go to Hell." Kat said sounding almost disappointed in his choice to stay behind instead of facing punishment for his sins.

"Oh come off it Kat, this isn't like a little kid taking punishment for stealing a cookie. I mean would YOU want to go to Hell?" Liam asked turning to look at her once again. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back, his butt pressed against the table. Kat blushed, he sure looked good.

"No I most certainly wouldn't, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't cross over… if I got sent to Hell it would be because I deserve it. Besides I highly doubt you would have gone to Hell."

"You don't know me, or what I was like Kat…I was different before I died. And don't you forget. Not even a hundred years of death could make me forget it." she stood there silently and looked at him with a slight bit of confusion on her face.

Liam cleared his throat and said, "On a related note, I didn't cross over because I had to stay and watch Casper. **He** is my unfinished business."

"I don't believe…I mean you have two brothers…. Why couldn't you have crossed over? Stinkie or Fatso could have stayed here with Casper."

"You don't seem to be able to get it through your head Kitty Kat. Casper is MY unfinished business….Stinkie and Fatso really don't have any unfinished business…they just stayed because I did. I am sure they think they are doing me some huge favor, but in all honesty it was just supposed to be me and the little bulb head for a few hundred years."

"But why you two… why did you and Casper have to suffer…why did you two have to be stranded here away from the rest of your family…"

"Because that's the way it is." Liam said trying his damndest to keep his anger under control. She was really being stupid today; damn did he ever care for this girl but man she just wasn't getting it.

Liam expected her to protest again but he must have finally given the right tone of voice because she sighed and said, "Okay then…I guess I will go upstairs…try to come up later for dinner please." She slowly came forward, daring to kiss him gently on the lips; he inhaled her scent and gently kissed back. She left him standing their wondering if he had said something wrong.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Eddy sat at the top of the volcano and hummed a happy song to him self. It was quite a sight since the song was so happy but his face was expressionless. Every once and awhile he would laugh without opening his mouth and would then look at his charred skin. He brought his hand up and pulled a piece of his blackened skin off his arm and smelled it. Bringing it to his lips he debated, just as he was about to take a bite he heard an inhale of breath and looked out across the volcano.

"I do hope you aren't really intending to eat a piece of your skin." Eddy saw a man standing in the air above the middle of the volcano. He had bright blue eyes, black hair, and a white shirt with blue jeans, no shoes. The smoke rose up around him and he stared at Eddy.

"Who wants to know?" The charred body asked the floating man.

"I do that's who… and don't make a mistake… I am very important." The man started to slowly stroll towards Eddy and the blackened corpse dropped the piece of his skin into the volcano below.

"Why would you eat that…it isn't like you have much skin left anyway… I would think you would want to conserve what you have." the man said finally standing before him looking the creature that used to be Eddy up and down.

"Why not eat it…. I ain't got nothing left… even my groin was destroyed…. might as well eat myself…at least I can have a last meal."

"You truly are a disturbing fellow. That's why you're my favorite… at least for right now… How are you doing Edward?" The man asked smiling at him.

"Well, I was swallowed by a fat ass ghost, shit out and then tossed into the ocean. Apparently the ocean didn't like me so they had to cinder block me down about six miles where I froze and was squeezed until I couldn't move. There is a lot of pressure down there. And for some reason I was trapped in my body and couldn't cross over, then I was dragged up just as I was about to equalize my dead body only to find that now I was being tossed into a volcano. I am doing about as well as a man who had dogs bite off his nuts."

"Ah ha, I see…ungrateful then…." The man said thinking a moment, "Well I suppose I understand, having to stay in that body when your dead and of course when the body keeps being messed with and all. I suppose that wouldn't be fun… but it was all for a reason Edward, a reason you are about to find out."

"I hope it's a good one cause I am pissed." He said attempting to make a face, however he had no teeth to grit so the effect was less then satisfactory.

"I want your help Edward, you did such a great service to me when you were alive, I just can't stop imagining the possibilities now that you are dead…"

"What are you talking about…I never did no one a service but myself." Eddy spat angrily.

"Indeed and that is why you serviced me, I positively love selfish behavior, and cruelty and conniving schemes. And you were splendid at doing all of the above. And more."

"Who are you buddy?" Eddy asked, he wished he had his gun, or his knife, this dude gave him the creeps. Aside from the fact he floated in thin air which was a miracle all in it's own, he had kept Eddy trapped from crossing over… be it to Heaven or Hell and it pissed him off. Being stuck in this body, as it was drowned and burned and such was very painful and the fact that he hadn't passed on really bothered him. A man with powers like this was not human. Eddy had only one guess who this man could be.

"My name is Elza. Though I have many other names and I am sure you can guess them. You see, I have a desire… two souls which I have been craving… two to be more precise, that you now know very well. As it were a long time ago there was a handful of deaths about 500 miles East of here…in the area you were before you were here. There are two marvelous souls that I just can't keep my mind off of. If you can guess them I will give you a gift!"

Eddy thought a moment and then said, "McFaden?"

"Excellent! See you are a very smart boy." Eddy smiled an ugly grin and chuckled.

"I went to college." He said nodding.

"A scholar too! Indeed sir you are quit bright… now… here is the thing… one ghost owes me a debt…a debt that can only be repaid in blood… but you see he was dead… had been dead for awhile… so I figured I'd claim another member of his family…turns out… they were all dead… either floating here there and yonder or in Heaven with my favorite Deity. Recently I received some startling news though, that being a certain ghost may have regained a few drops of his blood and possibly even his flesh. I'd figure I should go and claim that which is mine… I mean it is only fair… he has kept me waiting for so long." The man said with a triumphant smirk. Eddy nodded and laughed, but instantly drew back when the man snapped, "_However,_ there is a flaw in that plan do to the fact that there is a certain little ghost that I have troubles coming to close to. You see he is the second soul I have interest in, and he is a very good little ghost, a very bright spirit… dangerous for a man like me. To pure, innocent, naïve… but a ghost of your caliber, so dark and dirty… I bet you anything you could grab hold of that little ghost."

"What makes you think I could grab a hold of him…. if you can't touch him what makes me so special?" Eddy asked.

"Because I am a demon… you are a ghost… and if I am correct you are a very special ghost which isn't as badly effected as others would be. Demons have troubles around purity… no matter how all-powerful they are. This is why you are so special Edward… there are very few dark ghosts left. I can give you everything you ever wanted for your trouble too. But first… I need to know you won't betray me… I can take that horrid body away, you will fly and feel free, more so then you ever have. But in return you will be my little messenger boy. The Hermes to my Zeus if you will."

"Before I shake on anything your highness, I want to know exactly what the deal is… you've been jumping around and I want to know EXACTLY what is expected of me… I don't want to get burned… if you will pardon the expression."

"Of course, of course, you are very welcome to know too, "You are go back to Whipstaff and bring me Casper, and make sure Kieran Liam Mcfadden follows you… bring him here to this spot and no where else… however… I expect you to keep a hold of that little glow worm when you get him here because I don't want him near me or touching me."

"That's easy enough… but what do I get in return…"

"Oh yes… how could I forget… your reward. In return for your services I will make sure the Mcfadden home is all yours, with plenty of money to keep the place afloat… a new body to your specifications to live in and of course I will take care of the other two little ghosts hiding in that large house."

"I want Kat…" Eddy said.

"Pardon?" The man said raising an eyebrow, "I want Kathryn Harvey… for me and no one else… in my bed every night… making me breakfast every morning…. Adoring me…. worshiping me… I will take her and the house with my original body so I can get to my own money. Less you have to give… and as a show of good faith on my part, I will kill her old man… you can have his soul… something yummy to munch on."

The man smiled an almost cruel smile, "It's a hard bargain… but I've always loved destroying free will, these people have far to much of it."

"Agreed." Eddy said holding out his hand. Elza took hold of it and they shook.

Quicker then Eddy could follow the man's other free hand grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, "Open up Edward." Elza hissed with a smile.

The burned corpse looked scared but the man just smiled. Elza raised Eddy up so that the corpse was dangling in the air. Elza held him by his neck and shoved his other hand down Eddy's throat. He could hear the corpse gag and wondered how he even had any gag reflex left. When the man felt what he wanted he yanked his hand out and when his hand reappeared he was holding onto the tail of a dark ghost.

Eddy looked at his body and watched as it stared back at him and then fell over back into the volcano, no life or soul left in the rotting shell. He looked at his transparent hands; unlike the ghostly trio it was a light black or dark grey color that kind of reminded him of the volcano's smoke. He looked transparent though, like the ghosts he had met, and when he looked to his feet he saw he only had a tail and nothing else.

"So uh, this new body of mine… it's gunna have all the equipment right?" Eddy asked motioning down towards where his crotch should have been.

"Of course, no point in giving you a lady friend if you can't enjoy her company."

"Right… okay…. So I am a ghost now…how do I look?" Eddy asked looking at the man who had just separated him from his cage.

"Actually, very threatening, your eyes are a very lovely redish pink, however you may want to invest in some Visine." Elza said with a smirk, "Your eyes are smoldering… I think you were in the lava to long."

"So do I have any special powers? I remember Stinkie could blow an awful stench at you… that fat blob of a ghost swallowed me whole…and Stretch could disfigure his face." Eddy said with excitement.

"I honestly don't know, but I wouldn't bother to find out, if you do your job you will be human again soon anyway. No point in dwelling on something that really won't matter soon."

"True… alright then… 500 miles East…. Okay…I will be back with your two ghosties soon." Eddy took off; he had trouble flying at first but as soon as he god a hold of it he was off as fast as lightning.

"Good luck Edward…" the man said waving. Soon he would have Kieran in his clutches…. And this silly hundred-year war would be over.

OOOOOOOOOO

Kat found Casper in his toy room, "It's dinner time… you wanna come down?" Casper looked at her and smiled, "I will be down in a minute." She nodded and turned around leaving the room, as she strode across the attic she stopped and turned toward the sheeted mirror, "Casper." She called; he came floating out holding a broken baseball glove.

"It won't take me long to fix this stitching just give me…"

"Come here real quick will you?" the little ghost floated over and came to rest next to her. Her hand shook as she reached for the sheet. She pulled it off and found that she felt completely fine. She looked into the mirror and saw nothing but her own reflection.

"What is it Kat… you know you can't see me in mirrors." Casper said almost sounding annoyed.

"No… I know I'm sorry… it's just… Liam told me something about this mirror and I just wanted to see if it was true."

"What did he tell you?" Casper asked turning and floating towards the toy room. As soon as he was across the room Kat grew dizzy, she quickly threw the sheet over the mirror and chased after him, "Just that your dad brought it here and that it has an evil spirit in it."

Casper turned and looked at her with a strange expression, "My uncle is so weird."

"You mean he lied?" Kat asked.

"No, I mean my dad did bring that back from someplace, Africa or something I don't really remember… but I've never seen or felt an evil spirit in it… and uncle Liam told me that I react poorly to them… I get no such feelings from that mirror. I'm completely normal around it…"

"Huh… that's odd… the mirror made me pass out the other day… the thing got inside my head when I looked into it with out you near… made me sick."

Casper stared at her, "Really?"

"I wouldn't lie about that…though it got your uncles attention so I am not complaining to much." Kat said smiling evilly.

"Your gross I don't wanna hear that." Casper said with a small giggle.

"Come on Casper, dinner time now… fix stuff later." She grabbed the mitt and tossed it aside.

"Hey… you wouldn't treat Babe Ruth's stuff like this…" Casper protested.

"Yeah well you're not Babe Ruth and I highly doubt Babe Ruth had any unfinished business after the way he batted."

"Right." Casper said laughing, they left the attic with out noticing the fact that the glove was hovering in the air. And invisible messenger smiling like the devil himself.

OOOOOOOOO

"Okay boys and girl… good news… It's all done!" Liam said standing in the doorway holding a single vile.

"You got the serums finished?" Stinkie barked rushing over.

"I did, everyone's, Casper included." Liam said with a big smirk.

"Alright!" Casper said shooting up from the table and rushing to his uncle, he wrapped his arms around the man's torso, "Thank you for not leaving me behind." Casper said attempting to nuzzle into him, sadly neither Liam nor Casper could feel much of anything.

"Don't you worry about it short sheets… let's go get this done." Everyone turned to leave the kitchen when suddenly the doors burst open. Heat poured in and Kat had to cover her face to keep from losing her eyebrows.

"TADA!" An all to familiar voice rang out, "It's is my great pleasure to introduce the new and much better….well… me!" Eddy said with pride.

"Eddy…" Kat gasped in shock.

"Oh yes Kitten, Eddy is back in business and as it turns out there is a very good business in being dead."

"Stretch." Stinkie called in a fearful tone, "WE GOT A DARK GHOST ON THE PREMISES!" He cried out suddenly.

Kat suddenly realized she didn't see anyone else besides Stinkie, "CASPER! LIAM! FATSO!"

"Over here Kitty kat." Liam called pushing a door off of him, Casper was with him and the little white ghost helped his uncle up.

"Whew, I forgot how much being thrown around hurts." Liam said cracking his nose back into place. Blood ran from it and Casper darted to grab a towel.

"So you must be the little white ghost I am supposed to grab." Eddy said moving towards Casper.

"Don't you dare touch him." Came a roar from behind him. Eddy turned to see Fatso outside the kitchen, "Huh, must be nice to be a ghost, never seen a fat man move that fast." Eddy quipped and started forward again.

"You heard him ED, no touchy the Casper." Liam said stepping in the ghost's way.

"Don't you worry about him he will be taken good care of him. Like he was my own son."

"Who sent you?" Stinkie asked rising up, he pushed Kat and Casper together and back a few feet before he fell in line next to Liam.

"That really doesn't matter Stinkerbell. Just move aside, I either take Casper or I take you…" Eddy said looking at Liam.

"How about neither… now get the fuck out of my house… you don't own this place anymore."

"Oh dear, you think this has to do with me wanting the house… oh no… a grander scheme has been set into play… this isn't a game though no… this is war. You've been summoned by Elza and I am the messenger."

Liam looked at him for a moment, his eyes defiant, he was weighing him, "Your lying... Elza would never rely on someone like you to do his bidding."

"I am afraid you are wrong Kieran… he sent me… and I won't leave empty handed."

"How does he know your name?" Kat asked. Eddy's head snapped towards Kat, "Oh Kitten, I can't wait to have our time together, but for now shut up."

"Don't you dare address her!" Casper said floating forward, "You have no right here, you have no claim over anyone or anything in this house." Kat suddenly noticed Casper was shinning, "Leave now!" the small ghost ordered growing ever closer, "Casper, stay back!" Liam ordered.

"You are NOT. WELCOME. HERE!" Casper said suddenly flying at the dark ghost. It was quicker then Kat could follow. But somehow Eddy took hold of the little white ghost and started to shake, "Oh my, you are painful to touch." Eddy said gritting his yellow teeth, "But I made a deal… your coming with me." Suddenly Eddy was up through the roof and Liam was screaming, "NO!"

**A/N: Okay tell me what you think! **


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Okay this is it, this should be the last chapter before it all gets wrapped up, let's hope I can supply a decent ending! **

**Chapter 17 **

**War**

"FUCK!" Liam screamed throwing a chair across the kitchen. "GOD DAMN MOTHER FUCKING ASS HOLE SHIT HEAD!" He cried as he shoved the table and it flew across the floor and smashed into the counter. The other chairs had slid about the room when the table had been shoved so some laid on their backs while others were simply far out of place. Liam took this opportunity, while the chairs were in confusion and chaos to slam his foot into them, kicking them about as he yelled up a storm.

Kat and the other two remaining ghosts had stared at first in shock and awe, but now they were becoming less and less amused by each explicatory that came from his mouth.

"Laim! Calm down!" Kat called as he picked up a chair and busted it over his leg.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN! I can't calm down, the devil has just sent some shmuck to kidnap my nephew!"

Kat stared, "What? The devil?"

"Don't tell me you didn't pick up on his stupid name game! Elza, you ever heard of Beelzebub?"

"You're kidding me right?" Kat asked.

"I told you that you didn't know a fucking THING about me… what I did and who I was before I died could have put Judas to shame." Liam said with anger.

Kat sighed and brought her fingers to the bridge of her nose, she was getting a headache.

"So let me get this straight, you made a deal with the devil over a hundred some years ago…" she paused a second, "No, no you are going to sit down and you are going to tell me exactly what happened…everything." Kat said looking at him, she was defiant, strong, and passionate about her choice and she knew he wouldn't back down.

Liam stared at her and then to his brothers who crossed their arms over their chests and waited. It was true, not even they knew of his dealings with the devil.

He thought he would be able to take it to his grave… unfortunately taking things to your grave wasn't possible if you didn't cross over.

"Okay kitty Kat. Sit down and get ready for the stupidest thing you ever heard."

OOOOO

"LET ME GO!" Casper yelled as the ghost jetted over the ocean.

"Not a chance, you're my ticket to a nice comfy life, with a big house and a good little wife. Obedient and loving and one hell of a cook."

"Your dead you creep! You can't get married or own anything!" he said with as much malice as he could muster.

"Not for long marshmallow." The ghost said with an evil chuckle.

"You are a cruel, nasty, dirty monster!" Casper spat trying to think of anything to get a rise out of the ghost. If he could get under his skin, figuratively speaking, maybe he could trick the ghost into letting him go.

"Maybe so, but apparently that is what gets you what you want now a days." The ghost said suddenly not as flamboyant.

"You are disgusting, ugly, smelly and a complete failure, Kat never loved you and she never will!" this statement finally got the ghost to come to a stop, "You know what marshmallow, I don't like your tone, maybe I should teach you how to speak to your betters. A few quick hits ought to shut you up."

"Good luck doing that fart face! I bet you couldn't hit the broad side of barn."

The ghost shoved him away and as Casper allowed himself to fall the ghost cranked down after him and made to hit him. Casper, however, smiled and quickly turned invisible.

"Oh fuck." Eddy said as he flipped and came back up.

"Where are you you little twit!"

"Oh, huh, so no one ever taught you how to go invisible…. that's interesting… you better work on that while I go back and tell the others how lame you are."

"Oh no you aren't. To much is ridding on me getting you to where you need to be." Eddy looked with his burning eyes all around and saw nothing, his nerves shot up into his stomach and he felt sick. "Casper?" No response.

"CASPER!" He screamed in anger.

"Don't blow a gasket smoky, just tell who ever it is you are working for that they better not come around messing with me or my family again or they are going to get burned."

"We will see about that." Eddy said feeling anxiety knot up and suddenly fire came hurtling up his throat. He could actually feel the heat, which was odd since he had no nerves. He couldn't keep his mouth shut though and lave and black smoke came gushing out at an alarming rate. Eddy had to shut his eyes to ignore the pain that surged through his ghostly aura, but he heard the scream, the ear splitting scream of the young ghost.

When the lava from his mouth stopped, and he opened his eyes, Eddy saw nothing, he looked around and then finally looked down when he heard a splash. He rushed down after Casper in a hurry. Eddy raced along into the water and was shocked to see a large hunk of cooled lava sinking. He chased it until he could take hold of it but it went through his hands.

He tried again to grab it several times before he realized he didn't know how too. He had seen the ghostly trio, and Casper grab things and hold on to them, but how they did that he didn't know. He had to grab the rock incasing Casper soon because it was getting darker and darker and he found the darker it got the colder he was and for some reason he felt like he may not make it back up.

Eddy focused hard on the rock, he thought about it, and what it must feel like. He took one last grab at it almost willing himself to become solid. The rock stopped floating down, but Eddy couldn't feel the rock in his ghostly hand. Somehow he must have tricked himself into thinking he was holding it.

He slowly ascended, he dropped the rock only once or twice and when he came above the surface he looked at the top of the rock and realized Casper's head was sticking out. He was unconscious and in a tremendous amount of pain.

"Funny… I don't seem so lame now do I?" Eddy said with a snide snap. "I think I may have to experiment with my ghostly gifts a little more later on." With that Eddy shot off in the proper direction, highly excited to show his discoveries to Elza.

OOOOOOO

"So Casper's mother wasn't going to make it through child birth?" Kat asked.

"No, neither was Casper. They both would have died. As it were, if I hadn't drank, gambled and used all the money we may have been able to afford a better doctor. Things could have been different. As the oldest it was my right to do with it as I wished… but I was very selfish… and cruel. I hated Casper's dad for showing me up… for every time I ever had to stick up for the little runt. But maybe if I had taken the time to consider… maybe things wouldn't be as they are now. While Casper's mother was giving birth I ran out into the rain, pleaded with anyone who would listen up above, or down below, to spare my sister-in-law and my nephew. Unfortunately, Elza was the one who answered. I told him I'd give him anything he asked for if he spared them and allowed them to live. He wanted my blood, said it would go wonderfully in his collect, said that I had a black enough heart to take too… and he said my soul would be a wonderful companion for him in Hell. I didn't understand what he meant, or what he wanted. I just agreed and shook on it. He said he would come for what I owed him later… I died before he could collect, and he can't have my soul unless he takes it directly from my body during one of his insane rituals."

Silence filled the room, "So now that you're human…" Kat started.

"It's time to pay my debt." Liam said softly. He stood and turned to go.

"No." Kat said standing less then a second after him. She slammed her hands on the table and yelled, "NO! THAT ISN'T FAIR!"

"Life isn't fair Kat… you just have to grit your teeth and bare it."

"No! What you did back then, who you were way back when… you aren't the same now as you were then… your not you…not who you were! He can't claim you now that you are new! Remade! You're not the same person you were back then!"

"No matter how many times you say it Kat, rephrase it, change it around, I really am the same. Not even a hundred years can change old habits."

"Well I believe you've changed and I won't allow him to take you."

"I am afraid you have no say in the matter and neither do I. Stinkie, I need you to get me to where ever he took Casper… the guy practically reeks of sulfur and ash… think you can follow it?"

"Yes sir!" He said taking hold of Liam and lifting him from the ground.

"NO! Wait, wait right there. You're telling me your just going to take him… despite the fact that he shouldn't be going?"

"Of course… have you forgotten about Casper, Eddy has him and is taking him to stand before Elza! The dude is going to rip Casper apart."

"I doubt that Stinkerbell…" Liam said with a smirk, "Demons can't stand little light bulbs like Casper. Thus why he needed Eddy."

"But if he can't handle him then why would he want him?" Fatso asked finally speaking up.

"My best guess is that Casper's soul is so pure and so innocent he thinks he can use it for some greater purpose. Some significant reason we don't know about. What ever it is… I don't want to find out. I'd rather have some ignorance in this whole ordeal. I can't be selfish now though, I can't turn my back on family. He needs me and I have to help him."

"Okay fine, let's say I let you go… don't you want to at least come up with a plan? Something that perhaps could help…"

"Like what Kathryn? This is the demon of all demons, he rules over some of the most ugly and cruel creatures to ever be created, and you think we can make some kind of plan to beat him… you can't beat him." Liam turned to go.

"Then I am coming too and don't you dare try to tell me no."

OOOOOOOO

Casper slowly opened his eyes, if he had been alive his head might have ached something fierce, as it was he only felt slightly off center. Like at any moment he would fall over or unwillingly sink through the floor.

He made himself open his eyes all the way, the sky was growing dark, a blood red sunset rested before him. He looked down to see the side of a mountain rushing along into the ocean. He was sure high up. He tried to turn his head but he could. That's when he realized he was stuck. This piece of black rock that surrounded him made it impossible for him to move. He tried to phase through it but he couldn't he was actually trapped in something and for a moment he wondered if he was alive again.

"Well well Edward, he is awake." The voice itself made Casper's skin crawl, he felt something inside him twitching. This was not an okay voice to be around and he wanted nothing more then to leave.

"Spin the lad around for me will you, the sunset is nice but I have a feeling he may want to meet me face to face." Casper suddenly felt himself being whipped around. He came face to face with something he had never felt before. Once his light blue eyes locked onto the cruel gray ones he knew this was no human, this was unlike any person, creature, thing he had ever encountered.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Elza, full name Beelzebub Damon Lucifer the 1st." He said with a wicked smile. Casper felt his lip twitch.

"And you are of course, the ever famous Casper." The ghost cocked what would have been an eyebrow if he had one and frowned, "It's obvious we haven't met before since you just introduced yourself, how do you know my name?"

"Don't be modest little ghost, every evil creature ever formed from the fires of Hell knows who you are. The friendly little ghost, pure, innocent, kind hearted, warm spirited… and of course the kicker…sin free. You're as clean as the day you were conceived. It's a marvel that out of all the innocent clean children to have died since this world began, your one of the few who hasn't crossed over. Most of the innocent cross over only a few days after dying, why you've stayed so long is of great interest to me. I want to know what your unfinished business is… and once I know… I have a question for you… a very serious and important question." He said leaning in close to the little ghosts face.

Casper bit at him, he didn't know why since that was highly out of character for him, but the proximity that man had been at was to close. Casper could smell the death on him, the cruel perverse torture that was rooted in his soul. How many people had he made suffer in this world and the next?

"Hmm a biter… that kind of funny… did you know the first time I ever met your uncle Stretch he bit off my nose. He didn't know it was me of course, and the nose was an easy fix. He was so drunk… he had lost to me in an arm wrestling match… he paid me the money but was so sure I'd cheated… honestly how can you cheat in arm wrestling? He leaned right over and bit off my nose. I looked so different that day… in fact your uncle has met me more times then has ever known. I've had my eye on his black heart since the first time he stole a cookie from your grandmother's cookie jar.

"MY UNCLE DOESN'T HAVE A BLACK HEART!" Casper roared in a voice that was more like a snarl then an actual voice.

"Oh he does little one… you just don't know it yet…. your uncle's heart is so perfectly evil that I just can't help but to keep him with me."

"How on Earth could you ever think he was evil… you can't mean the same man… he has been nothing but kind to me since I died." Casper barked out. He was getting really tired of this fowl monster before him.

"Kind? He calls you names, throws you through the walls and the floors, made you his personal slave for over one hundred years… and you don't think he deserves some punishment." The man said with a smirk.

"No I don't… he has changed, he is kind and caring and he loves me and he loves Kat and Dr. Harvey and Stinkie and Fatso and he would do anything to protect us! Why he is the most…."

"Anything to protect you? Well my little friend, that is exactly what I am counting on."

R&R Let me know what you think! Much love!


	18. Chapter 18

**A/ N: So I lied, there may be one or two more chapters after this. I am thinking wrapping it all up in this one chapter would be too much. Let's see. **

**Chapter 18**

The waiting was the part that killed the little ghost. He knew at any moment his uncle's and Kat would appear on the horizon and then something awful was going to happen. Elza was a creature that not even Casper could chase off. Eddy was one thing, a foul ghost that not many could stand against. But the idea that Casper was some sort of special ghost, one that could stand against evil made him feel like maybe there was still a chance.

Casper would put his after life on the line for his family. He just needed to be given the chance. What if his uncle didn't give him that choice? If Casper couldn't escape from this rock when his family got here his two cents on who was going to give what was going to decrease greatly.

"Come now Casper, my dear friend, tell me what is your unfinished business?" Elza cooed trying to coax anything he could out of the little ghost.

"I told you already! I don't know! I thought it would have been my father, I stayed to keep him company… but once he died I didn't cross over… I honestly don't know!" The little ghost said with anger and annoyance.

"Perhaps originally it was your father… perhaps priorities have changed? Something else? Maybe your uncles?"

"I am THEIR unfinished business… not the other way around. They stayed to watch over me not me over them."

"Well that's interesting… I must say I never knew that." Elza said looking out over the ocean and scratching his chin.

"Oops." Casper said unsure if that was important information or not. He wasn't very good at this whole keeping secrets thing. No wonder his uncles never told him anything.

He tried to lead Elza away from his current train of thought, "Maybe I don't have any unfinished business…. Maybe I just like Earth and wanna stay to stay."

"Doubt it, the big man up top does not usually allow ghosts to stay unless they have stuff to take care of. What do you have here that needs to be taken care of?" Elza asked smirking at him.

"Maybe it's the house sir?" Eddy added trying to be helpful.

"Hmmm that's a good possibility…. After all it is your mothers…. And your fathers… you loved them so much. Did you stay to take care of the house perhaps?"

"I stayed for my father you stupid idiot! But he is dead now! So it doesn't matter!" Casper yelled with so much hatred he felt lightheaded after.

"Calm down little one… I just need you to think really heard for me… it's important what your answer is…. that's all."

"Why is it so important?" Casper asked.

"Because my dear boy some things slip under the radar, some things need to be brought to light so others know… so certain things can be reorganized."

"You are not making any sense." Casper said narrowing his eyes.

"You will understand soon."

"SIR! THEY ARE COMING!" Eddy said with excitement.

"Good, let's give them a big warm welcome… grab the ghost." Elza sank into the volcano and Eddy grabbed Casper and followed with a chuckle.

OOOOOOOO

Kat's arms killed, she was being flown over the sea by Fatso who had to hold her up under her arms. Her feet dangled. This was SO freaking uncomfortable. No wonder dad hated it when the ghostly trio would fly him around. Especially after the bar incident, that had been a huge pain.

Stinkie flew with Liam who had a look of determination on his face. He was going to rescue his nephew no matter what the price was and no matter who got in his way. Kat felt the tears again and pushed them back. Everything was going to be okay, no one was going to die. Everyone was going to come home. The trio, Casper and Kat. They were all going to see that large creepy house again and they were going to see her father again.

God, her father, he still hadn't been home when they had left. She had left him a note though it probably wouldn't leave him with much comfort. _Gone to save Casper from the devil be back as soon as possible_ was a stupid thing to leave, but he had to know about the chance of…

No, they would all be back. She had to promise herself that, or else everything would seem hopeless. With no plan at hand, things could go any way and Kat had to have hope or she wouldn't be able to face what lay ahead.

She saw the volcano off in the distance and wasn't sure if she was relieved or scared out of her own mind. The volcanic mound grew larger and larger the closer they flew, which made sense. But Kat wished it would shrink and be barely they size of a sand castle. The bigger it got the more massive the fall should someone, namely Kat or Liam, slip.

Finally they came to its edge and Kat and Liam were set down. Stinkie and Fatso looked over the side and shivered despite the fact they couldn't be cold. "Beelzebub!" Liam yelled down into the heat, "SHOW YOUR UGLY FACE!"

The ground shook below them and Kat wished he hadn't done that, suddenly lava rushed up and exploded into the air like a fountain. Piece of it went everywhere; Fatso gasped and stretched himself into a giant square to cover Liam and Kat. They looked through him to see chunks of rock and globs of lava hitting him and rolling off.

"Thanks." Kat said to Fatso as she was pulling away from Liam. He had grabbed her and pulled her close. When the lava seemed to go back into its dark hole, two ghosts and a man were left floating in the middle of the circular top.

"Beelzebub." Liam said with gritted teeth.

"Please please Stretch, we are far passed formalities. We are good friends aren't we?"

"Oh yes… the best." He said with a sneer.

"As I had thought, how is everything Stretch old boy. Do you enjoy being human again… tell me… how are the sins of the flesh… pretty wonderful?"

"I wouldn't know, haven't been drinking, or gambling."

"Indeed not, old habits aren't to hard to kick if you have the will… but I was referring to the sins of the flesh that involve a lovely young lady. I see you brought her. Kathryn it is an honor to meet the woman who stole Stretch's heart… now that he has one. You gave that away quick old boy."

"The name is Liam… I am human again, so a human name is what I go by." Liam said trying to control his temper.

"Indeed you are… and we will get down to business momentarily, but first I must kiss the hand of this charming lady." Elza slowly walked through the air to stand in front of Kat. She wanted to vomit, he smelled of death, and cruelty. His aura made her shrivel up inside. He took her hand and planted a kiss, his lips were cold and felt like they were made out of sand paper.

"My lady you are really a beauty, if I didn't prefer men I would surely steal you away." He said with an evil smile. Kat's eyes grew wide and she pulled her hand back.

"Nice and fiery… I really do think you picked a very fine woman…. How was it stealing her virtue… what was it? Liam? Yes how was it to be her first?"

Kat noticed his fists were clenched and she graced them with her fingers, he visibly relaxed at that and looked away from Elza.

"Oh, struck a nerve did I… well let me tell you… it must have been pretty amazing if she is still around… considering all the other ladies you've deflowered in your, let's say two hundred years, of prowling the Earth."

"Knock it off Elza and give me the kid… now." Liam said with not anger, but resolve.

"Of course, straight to business with you isn't it…. Won't let me play at all. All right then… there is your little nephew… such a holy creature… I will make you a deal… you tell me what his unfinished business is… and maybe… just maybe I will give him back." The smile that crept across his face made Kat feel like she wanted to cry.

"I don't know his unfinished business… I don't even think he has any… I think he just hangs around to hang around."

"See now… I don't like that answer… I don't like it at all…Eddy." Elza ordered. The ghost smiled and touched his finger to Casper's white head, the little ghost instantly let out a scream of pain.

Everyone's jaw dropped, "HOW CAN HE TOUCH HIM LIKE THAT!" Liam growled with anger.

"That's my little secret. Of course I can't touch him, but Eddy can for the next 20 minutes with out getting to severely burned. My one gift to my sweet sweet Eddy. Now tell me what Casper's unfinished business is… or I promise you the next 20 minutes of his after life will be the most painful thing he has ever experienced. And I guarantee he won't be his cheerful happy self afterwards. Each time he gets zapped a little of his soul drains away…. And it isn't like he has much in that tiny little body of his."

"I don't know!" Liam screamed looking at the little ghost wail. Kat felt her heart pounding against her chest. She noticed Stinkie and Fatso were inching closer to Eddy, he noticed however and jerked in their direction, "YOU TWO COME ANY CLOSER AND I PUT MY THUMB THROUHG HIS LITTLE WHITE HEAD!" They quickly stopped and backed off.

"Tell me Liam and this will all be over." Elza said in a soft coo.

"I don't know Elza! I swear I don't know!" Liam said dropping to his knees watching his nephew with big sad eyes.

"STOP!" Kat screamed at the top of her lungs. Eddy dropped his head and Casper fell silent, his head lulled forward and he didn't move. Elza turned to her, "Do you have something to say deary?"

"I know what his unfinished business is… please… just don't hurt him anymore!" The tears in her eyes stung and her knees felt weak, but she would not let this monster hurt her friend anymore.

"Tell me." Elza ordered, his eyes were so intense she thought she might burst into flames; she swallowed and spoke slowly making sure her voice didn't crack.

"When Casper died his unfinished business was to take care of his father… to keep him company. But then his father died and when he found he had no family but the ghostly trio he felt alone. They weren't much of a family." Kat looked to Liam as if to apologize for that statement, he looked down ashamed.

"His unfinished business became finding someone else to love… to take care of. He wanted to find someone who needed him as much as he needed them."

Elza had a look of understanding, "And did he ever find that someone?" Elza asked.

"I-I don't know." Kat said looking at the little white ghost. He groaned and slowly raised his head, "Kat?" he whispered.

"Casper I am here… I am right here!" Kat yelled to him, the tears still spilled from her and she wished to could get to him. Take him up in her arms, she wished she was dead. She would fly to him and take him away.

"Kat… I need you to know how much I….I love you." Eddy laughed and touched the little ghost again the scream made Kat's heart bleed.

"STOP!" She shrieked again.

"Edward! Stop." Elza said. The ghost looked disappointed but stopped.

"So Casper did indeed have unfinished business… he wanted to find someone to love him… someone to love and live for… and he found her… right here… in Kathryn. I wondered about the connection I sensed between you two. Well now that I know what I wanted to know let's make this quick."

Elza rushed forward and grabbed Kat, he yanked her out into the space in the middle of the volcano. The smoke and ash filled her mouth and she started to cough.

"ELZA! RELEASE HER!" Liam shouted.

"Oh not just yet, maybe in a moment… first I need to talk to your nephew… Casper… wake up little Casper… we have much to talk about." The little ghost slowly lifted his head and looked to see Elza holding her over the pit of lava.

"No!" He said suddenly coming back to reality.

"Alright Casper let's see just what you are made of… if you want Kathryn to live… I suggest you phase through that rock and come get her."

Casper thrashed about trying his best to break free but he couldn't move. "I can't break free! I can't!"

"Come now Casper, it's all in your mind… you are a ghost… nothing solid can hold you."

"You don't understand I can't phase through!"

"THEN BREAK THROUGH!" he yelled, he dropped Kat and she screamed, he grabbed her by her wrist and swung her back and forth. "NO! STOP IT! LET HER GO!" Casper said.

Liam ran over to his brothers and spoke quickly, Stinkie nodded and turned invisible. Elza and Eddy were to focused on Casper to noticed. Liam returned to his spot but dare not say a word for fear of bringing Elza's attention to the missing ghost. His heart pounded, he couldn't lose her, not like this, he loved the girl. This stubborn, angry, loving, passionate girl, he would not lose anyone else to this monster. He just hoped his plan worked.

"You have twenty seconds to break through it or I drop her and you lose your unfinished business forever."

"I CAN'T!" Casper shrieked, his young voice cracked under the stress and Elza smiled,

"To bad… she was so beautiful… and she loved you so much." Elza dropped her and she screamed. The black smoke filled her lungs and tore at her eyes making the tears even more evident. She heard nothing but the whipping of air around her and felt the heat increasing. It would all be over soon. So much for hope, so much for love, so much for life.

**A/n: Okay… I really like this direction… and hopefully the next chapter will explain everything that is going on… R&R ; )**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/n: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews I really enjoying knowing my work is making people happy! Most people any way. I've reached this point where I know what I want out of this…. but I don't know if I should. It's kind of… darker… I think I may just write this chapter and post it and if you like this one I may take it a step further. **

**Chapter 19**

Eddy rushed forward, "YOUR PROMISED ME SHE WAS MINE!" The dark ghost smoked like never before, his red eyes boiled and his teeth clenched together so strongly they would have broken if they had been real.

Elza looked at him unphased, "You don't want her… she has been soiled by that man over there… she wasn't fresh, she was ruined." He said yawning.

"I DIDN'T CARE! She was mine! You promised her to me! She was MINE!" The ghost growled.

"Fall back Edward… or you will regret it." Eddy shook with anger, "Now." Elza said giving Eddy a look three times more venomous then his own.

Suddenly stinky appeared, and everyone looked at him. Even Elza was surprised to see the ghost hadn't been where he had floated only a few moments ago.

"Liam… I am so sorry… I couldn't see…. There was to much smoke… I tried to…. I tried to grab her…but I couldn't see." Stinkie said. His voice ached of pain, and he looked at his brother with the most apologetic and depressed eyes anyone had ever seen on him.

"I tried." He whispered. He floated to the ground and lay there on his side. Fatso stared, his eyes wide, frozen in place then he sank and started to sob, "SHE WAS MY FAVORITE FLESHIE!" Casper just stared as if he couldn't comprehend.

"No…. no… NO!" Liam shrieked into the sky. He crawled on his hands and knees to the edge of the volcano, "KATHRYN! KATHRYN! I HAVE TO TAKE YOU HOME. I PROMISED YOUR MOTHER I'D TAKE CARE OF YOU! I promise her Kitty Kat." He said the last part in a whisper, as if the shock of it all had settled on him like a load of bricks. He looked down into the darkness. The dim light of the lava was so far away. The smoke burned his eyes and the smell filled his head.

"I am sorry Liam… I know it's tough to lose the one you love… but we learn from our mistakes….now you know better then to love someone. People just get hurt."

Elza turned his back on Liam to face Casper, "You see what happens when you…" He stopped mid sentence and stared at the little ghost whose whole body shook violently… his eyes glowed a harsh white and he gritted his teeth.

"You killed her." He whispered.

"I did… and it was fun." Elza said with no expression on his face, he was baiting the little ghost, pushing him to react. His eyes were locked onto Casper and he waited for what was to come next. The little ghost shot out of Eddy's hands and into the sky, the rock went with him. He spun quickly and the rock shattered. He slowly floated down; Casper glowed like a beckon of pure energy. "You took her away from me, from my family, from her father." The ghost said in a very monotone voice.

"Don't worry, I may have taken her away from you… but she will be with me now… and I promise, I will pay her extra attention so she doesn't get lonely." The little ghost snarled and flew at him, his energy blinding Liam and the other three ghosts. Elza smiled and cried out, "YES!" The white ghost reached for Elza but the demon shot back just out of his reach.

"Tut tut, no touching ghost… however, if you Want to play I'll play!" Elza took off into the sky and Casper followed. Liam watched in shock, Casper had lost it. He was a glowing ball of pure energy. He was going to fight Elza and the chances of him wining were slim.

Liam suddenly went flying back and felt himself falling down the outside of the volcano. "YOU FUCKED MY WIFE!" Eddy cried flying down after him.

Liam felt his body twist in an awkward manor and braced himself for the hit but something stopped him and pulled him up just as Eddy shot passed and flew through the ground. Liam looked up to see Fatso and Stinkie pulling him back up.

"LET ME GO!" Liam said suddenly.

"What?" the two ghosts asked at the same time.

"Drop me… if I am a ghost I can help Casper beat Elza."

"But… you may not become a ghost… Kat didn't… you may cross right over." Stinkie said. Liam hadn't thought about that, "Besides, you're a better bargaining chip if your alive." Stinkie said.

They put him on the top and he looked around, "You two think you could take care of keeping Eddy busy?"

"No problem!" They flew off to find him and Liam looked back to the battle of his nephew and the devil.

Casper threw a bolt of energy at Elza and he dodged by less then a foot. Elza retaliated by throwing some dark energy back.

The fight continued like this for a few minutes before Elza finally landed a stroke on Casper and the little ghost came crashing down. He hit the volcano as if he was a solid human and Liam flinched.

He saw Elza come down towards them; from thin air he pulled a mighty spear_. He planned to impale Casper_! Liam thought.

"STOP!" Elza landed, his feet on either side of the little ghost who lay there glowing like a lightning bug.

"Come now Liam, you expect me to stop when I am so close to finishing this. I wanted to use his unfinished business against him. I wanted to bring this side out, because if I stab him with this spear in this form…. He won't exist anymore. Not in Heaven, not in Hell and most certainly not in the world in-between. He won't be a threat to anyone, and he won't be able to use his light ever again.

"Please spare him! Please! I will do anything!" Liam begged.

This got Elza's attention, "Oh really... that's interesting." Elza pushed the spear tip up under the little ghosts chin, as if getting read to make a direct strike to the throat.

"Elza… anything." Liam said dropping to his knees.

"You do know me very well… alright then… you understand what I want… keep your soul, keep your human body… and come with me."

"Come with you?" Liam asked.

"Come with me into Hell… and I will let him live and even look into resurrecting Kathryn."

Liam shivered; he had known from the very beginning that this demon had wanted to drag him back to Hell. The reason had always been unclear. Elza had tried to make this type of deal with him before. When Liam had asked him to save Casper and his mother during the birth. Stretch had been a fool then; despite his eventual great sacrifice of his soul he had been selfish enough to want to keep his dignity, and the life he was living.

But now, when so much rested on his shoulders, when he knew all of this could have been prevented from the very beginning, he knew what he must do. The cruelest thing ever imagined was being asked of him. And yet he couldn't refuse… he had to give anything he had to save them, even if it was something as personal as himself.

"You have my word that I will return with you and do anything you ask… anything I am and anything I have is all yours… just please… let them live… let them all live."

"You know what Stretchy old boy… this is the start of the most beautiful friendship I've ever seen." Elza dropped his spear and walked over to Liam… "Get ready for the most exciting time of your life… because you will be living for a long long time."

And with that they disappeared.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Kat felt like she had been thrown against a wall, over and over and over. She sat up and found that she was on a ledge. The smoke bellowed up around the cliff's edge, which is probably why she hadn't choked to death. She looked up but couldn't see the sky. Was she that far down, She leaned over the edge and held her breath, the lava was maybe twenty feet down. She could feel the heat and pulled back. She had no choice she had to climb. She tried to stand but felt a pain shoot through her leg. It was busted. She fell back and choked back a sob. She couldn't climb like this… she had to try and get someone's attention.

"HELP!" She cried. Over and over and over again she called, her voice was starting to go and her throat was starting to hurt. "STINKIE, FATSO, CASPER LIAM ANYONE HELP ME!"

She lay there a moment and rested; taking in deep breaths she started to cough. She took one more deep breath and cried out, "HEEEEEEEEELP!"

"Kat?" Came a very warm familiar voice. "OH GOD CASPER! CASPER HELP ME!"

"We will be right down!" He called with what sounded like a rather weak voice.

Kat had to wait only a few minutes before Fatso, Stinkie and Casper found her in the dark thick smoke that was rushing up and out of it's prison. She clung to them as they lifted her together.

"AH!" She cried as her leg was shifted.

"Try not to move it." Casper warned. They slowly lifted her up and out of the volcano.

"I am so sorry I didn't catch you." Stinkie said.

"It's okay, I saw you fly by, you missed me by maybe a foot. I hit that slab and was knocked out so the pain itself wasn't bad. It was waking up down there that sucked."

"I can't believe I missed you." He said to himself more then to anyone else.

"Hey, it's really okay… where is Liam… and Elza and Eddy."

Fatso smiled, "Eddy is a little busy right now trying to get out of some of Stinkie's plasma boogers. He won't be going anywhere till we say."

"Liam?" Kat asked.

Stinkie and Fatso looked to Casper, the white ghost looked down, "He gave himself to Elza so he wouldn't kill me… and so he would resurrect you." He said looked at Kat.

"Kill you… you're a ghost."

"Apparently he had a way to get rid of my spirit… so I wouldn't exist anywhere…. Not even here on Earth or in Heaven."

"But he spared you?" Kat asked.

"Apparently, since I am still here." Casper said, no sarcasm intended.

"What did you mean by resurrect me? I never died."

"Elza must have thought you hit the lava when Uncle Stinkie came up with out you… either that or he was bluffing because he knew you survived. He wanted leverage to get Uncle Liam to go with him… and he wanted to get me out of the picture. I guess Uncle Liam was more important though."

"Well I am glad he was… sort of." Kat said. "So… how do we get him back?"

"Get who back?" Stinkie asked.

"Who do you think stinkerbell, we have to find a way to get Liam back."

"Are you kidding me? We can't get into Hell…. And even if we could why would we want to?" Fatso asked in a freaked out voice.

"Because one, Liam is your brother, two he gave himself to the Devil to save us and three… if we get him back he can make you human."

"I can't go to Hell…" Stinkie said.

"You can and you will…. Because Liam needs us."

"But we don't even know how to get into Hell." Fatso said.

"We don't, but I bet booger boy does."

It took them only a few minutes to get down the side, despite the fact that they all had to work at carrying Kat with out hurting her leg or shifting her weight. They finally found the area that Stinkie had boogied him. But he wasn't there.

"DAMN IT!" Kat swore.

"He must have burned through them with that nasty lava breath of his." Casper said seeing the singe marks.

"What do we do now…" Stinkie asked.

"We head back to Whipstaff… we need to get Kat's leg looked at and we all need to rest…" Casper said. He knew resting for the ghosts was kind of pointless but it may calm everyone down a bit to be back on familiar ground.

OOOOOOOOOOO

DR. Harvey paced like he never had before, that damn note was not what he wanted to come home to. He shouldn't have left so much in the last few days but he had some things he had wanted to take care of. His leg was throbbing, he had been on it too much today and the effort it took to pace this way was draining him.

"Please sit down." Dr. Harvey looked up at the woman sitting at the end of the table.

"How can you be so calm, Kat's out there… she could be in trouble."

"James… please… you know Kathryn… she is strong and capable, plus she has Casper and the trio with her. I am sure she is fine."

The kitchen doors opened with a bang as a trio of ghosts carried in a very dirty and injured looking Kat.

"KATHRYN!" Dr. Harvey said rushing forward.

"Dad, I am fine really I…" Kat stopped when she saw the woman at the end of the table.

"M-Mom?" The woman in red stood and smiled, "Hello Kathryn." Kat stared in disbelief; she tried to pull away from the trio so she could run to her, embrace her, cry onto her about so many things. It seemed only hours ago she was on the roof top praying to her, talking to her, crying and yelling at her. But now she just wanted nothing more then to be in her arms.

"Kat, don't move." Casper said, "You'll hurt your leg more."

"What wrong with you leg?" Dr. Harvey asked with fear.

"I busted it dad… Elza dropped me into a volcano and I landed on it… it's pretty bad."

"A Vol- what the hell were you doing by a volcano!"

"We had to meet Elza there Dr. Harvey… he had Casper." Fatso said.

"Who the HELL is Elza!" Dr. Harvey screamed.

"He is the Devil." Kat's mother said.

"Oh right… that damn note… you left me a NOTE to tell me you were going to face Lucifer?" Dr. Harvey said with enough heat in his voice to get his point across.

"I know it was stupid dad but you haven't been here… and we had to go!"

"No, you didn't have to go… you could have come and told me or waited for me to get back. I come home to a completely empty house, with a note saying by the way we went to go talk to the lord of all hell. Not exactly the best thing to leave a father, especially one who worries like me."

"James… can I suggest you finish your ranting later… so that I can help our daughter heal?" Amelia asked moving closer to her daughter. She put her hand on Dr. Harvey's shoulder as she passed. She came to stand next to Kat and looked at the leg.

"Pretty decent fall then?" she asked.

Kat nodded still looking at her mother with shock, "At least thirty feet maybe more."

"And you survived?"

"People have fallen further I suppose."

"That's true…"

"Your father fell off the top of whipstaff." Stinkie said. Fatso and him laughed and Kat reveled in the sound of normalcy.

"Yes well, unfortunately I can't heal _him_…" Amelia put her hand on Kat's leg and started to hum. Kat admired her mother's beautiful voice and stared in amazement when she felt warmth spread through her leg.

"How are you here?" Kat asked her mother.

"Your father looked like he could use some help… when I heard who was involved… I just had to come down."

Kat smiled at her, "I've missed you mom."

Amelia looked sad for a moment, she looked to James who gave a weak half smile and then back to Kat, "I missed you too baby." She hugged her daughter gently.

OOOOOOOOO

"So let me get this straight, you, Liam, Stinkie and Fatso went to a volcano because the evil spirit of your ex fience kidnapped Casper and took him to Beelzebub."

"Right." Kat said.

"Beelzebub fought Casper who became empowered with light only to be defeated and the only way to have saved Casper, who is a GHOST, from _dying_ was Liam sacrificing himself?"

"Right again." Casper said.

"So now Liam is in Hell with Satan doing Lord knows what to keep the man happy so he will resurrect my not dead daughter and keep Casper the dead ghost from being killed?"

"You are a genius." Stinkie said.

"This is ridiculous." Dr. Harvey said, he put his hands up to his face and sighed, "This entire things is absolutely completely and totally ridiculous."

"You are telling me… but you should have seen the little glow worm light up." Fatso said smiling at Casper. The little ghost looked like he would blush if he could.

"Here is the problem…" Amelia started.

"Oh there is a problem… never would have guess." Dr. Harvey said adjusting his glasses.

"Don't get snippy with her… she is only here to help." Kat said rubbing her newly healed leg. She couldn't believe how strong it felt.

"Your right… my apologies…. Continue Darling." Dr. Harvey said taking a deep breath.

"The problem is I talked to the head of passing souls… and Liam isn't supposed to be in Hell. He is supposed to die and go to Heaven… after a considerable amount of years on Earth he is suppose to die and cross over into Heaven…"

"You mean… he earned his way in?" Kat asked with excitement.

"He earned his way in a long time ago, the moment he took Casper as his unfinished business he started earning points if you will pardon the phrase. He gained positive notice for every five years he elected, on his own, to stay here and watch over Casper. Despite the fact he wasn't always nice to his nephew he had the boy's best interest at heart. His sins haven't been completely erased but now that he is human he can work even harder to make up for his more… aggressive sins."

"Do you think he will ever get rid of all his sins?" Kat asked.

"No human or ghost could ever be completely free of their sins… even I died with some sins upon me as will all of you… but if you live your life right… you won't always have to suffer for the sins you do commit."

"And all this time Liam was afraid to cross over because he didn't want to go to Hell." Kat said.

"You would think that wouldn't bother him… since you know… he is acquainted with the boss." Stinkie said with a smirk.

"Enough Stink… mom how do I get down there… we have to get him back." Kat said hoping her mother wouldn't say it was impossible.

"I can only think of one way to get down there and it isn't exactly discreet…" she hesitated and Kat and Casper leaned in.

"You have to have Elza take you down himself… the only other way to get into Hell is to commit a rather large amount of dark sins and then kill yourself."

"You mean you can't get us in?" Casper asked.

"Oh heavens no… if I were to even go close to the gates of Hell the demons would have a frenzy and try to eat me… well my spirit anyway… they love angles."

"Demons eat angles?" Fatso asked eyeing Amelia.

"Don't even think about eating my mother!" Kat bit harshly.

Fatso settled back down and pouted.

"They do… and I really don't want to be eaten… all I can say is you have to probably have a séance, summon Elza and challenge him for what ever it is you want. If you win the challenge he has to honor it, no tricks, and no games."

"Wait wait wait, are you telling me I have to do the stereotypical gold fiddle thing? Like that one song… what is it called?"

"The Devil went down to Georgia." Dr. Harvey offered with a small shrug when his daughter looked at him with a how-did-you-know-that-face.

Amelia smiled, "Stereotypical yes, golden fiddle no… you can challenge him to any game… it is his choice on weather he will accept the challenge or not, which is often why you have to make his gain grater then your own. Where you only want Liam, you may have to offer him yourself and someone else."

"Offer him me… he wanted me dead… I would gladly give myself to help my Uncle." Casper said. Amelia smiled, she was familiar with his good-natured soul. She couldn't wait for him to cross over some day. He was so nice.

"Okay how does this sound, we call the devil and we offer him Casper and myself as leverage for the challenge."

"Absolutly NOT!" Dr. Harvey said standing again, he walked over to Kat and looked down at her, "I will not allow my daughter to offer herself to Satan… you will have to find another way."

"Dad there is no other way… it's a two for one thing…. If the price has to be greater then what he already has we need to offer him two people…"

"Then….then offer him me… but don't you dare offer yourself!"

"Dad no… no offense to you but we can't guarantee he will want you. The only reason I offered myself is because he showed interest..."

"I thought he said he was gay?" Stinkie said.

"I don't mean that type of interest…" Kat said.

Dr. Harvey paled even more, "Amelia talk to her… you can't let our daughter go head on into danger like this."

"James we can't stop her… if she wants to risk her life like this we have to let her… her life is hers to do with as she likes… that's why God gave you free will. No matter how much I don't like it… I can't do anything."

"IF YOU WERE ALIVE YOU WOULD FIGHT THIS WITH ME!" James roared slamming his cane down on the table.

"You aren't going and that is that." Dr. Harvey finished, he sat down with his arms across his chest.

Amelia looked hurt, she blinked several times in what looked like attempts at keeping tears away. Kat stared at him and narrowed her eyes, "If it was me you would offer yourself…. And you wouldn't hesitate to put Casper in danger if he offered to help."

"It's Different Kathryn… your… your…" Dr. Harvey struggled for words.

"It's not different, you would do anything for me because you love me, well I love Liam and to tell me no is worse torture then anything Elza could do to me. I can't just leave him to that suffering dad, he finally got his life back… and he can bring life back to the rest of his family… they can have a second chance… and your telling me to leave the man I love down there to suffer the rest of his days when he actually had a chance to live his life right and to see Heaven someday?"

Dr. Harvey breathed in an un steady breath… he himself was tearing up and his hands were shaking as he pushed hair out of his face. He adjusted his glasses and stared at her for a moment. Everyone, even the ghosts held their breath.

Finally Dr. Harvey sighed and took hold of her hand, "What are you going to challenge him in?"

Everyone released the air they didn't notice they were holding and Kat smiled, "I am thinking a nice game of chess."

**A/N: Okay people, read and review and let me know what you think. I really would like to know if you are enjoying the way this is going. I did on purpose set this up to incorporate The Devil went down to Georgia because I've always been a fan of the Charley Daniel's band. I think I spelled that right. Anyway, very VERY cliché but I like it. **


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: This chapter is a lot darker then the rest. For those who are faint of heart please be careful about reading this chapter… it's honestly one of the weirder ones I have written and cannot deny it kind of doesn't fit well with this story. But it came to me so quick and I like it, so I hope you like it too. Thank you for the generous reviews. Please enjoy chapter 20. **

**Chapter 20**

"AH!" The growl echoed through the burning halls, heat encompassed him and he felt like his skin was melting. He looked at the monster before him and closed his eyes.

"I can tell you hate it here already. I am so glad. I have always enjoyed that emotion, especially from you. You just reek of hatred and anger. It's so delicious." Elza said with a smile.

Liam allowed some of the anger to slide from him and he fell to his knees, he was suddenly very tired. Sweat poured down his body and he was so thirsty.

"You will get use to living down here… it shouldn't take more then a few hundred years." Elza said walking forward and grabbing Liam by his hair, he pulled his head back and smiled at him.

"I won't be here that long Elza, knowing Kathryn and Casper I will be out of here in a few days." Liam grunted.

Elza was silent a moment and then spoke with a very neutral tone, he was completely ignoring what Liam had just said. "Your so wonderful… your angry heart could feed me for a millennia. You're so angry about everything. Including your family, your brother and his beautiful wife who never loved you… your brother's brain, his confidence. Envy melted off of you the day your brother got married... and the day his wife announced the pregnancy. Admit it… you wished Casper had been your child… but instead of cleaning up and looking for a good little wife you hit the bottles didn't you Stretch… hit the bottles and hit the streets full of lovely women of the night." Elza leaned down and licked the sweat off of Liam's temple. "Mmmmm, and the jealousy, I can taste it in your sweat, even after he went insane you were jealous of him… the life he had had."

Elza gripped his hair tighter and Liam growled, "Hurts huh… glad your human now aren't you… so you can actually feel everything I do to you… you can feel the heat of this awful place… and smell the death and blood and sin. You thought Earth was Hell… just wait… you have the rest of your life to experience the real thing. And trust me there ain't anything like it." Elza leaned down and bit into Liam's shoulder, the scream filled his own ears as the pain surged through his body.

"God, I'm no vampire but your blood is just full of regret and it's superb. Like a perfectly aged wine." Liam couldn't believe this was happening, he was half naked and being eaten by the one creature he swore he would do anything to avoid. _You shouldn't have ever made that deal with him…shouldn't have ever…_

"I am so glad things came to pass the way they did, even if I didn't get to destroy Casper… you are worth the effort I put into it."

Liam to this day had never understood why he had been chosen, why he was so much better then the mass murderers or the homicidal maniacs. He had been a man with regret and jealousy and hatred…. Yes he wouldn't deny it… but he had never killed anyone in cold blood and he had never been over the top cruel. He had just been down right mean.

"Why me Elza… out of all the crazies in the world… what drew your eye to a stupid little jack ass like me. I know I had my own problems… but I was just the town drunk, the gambler… the womanizer… why did I stick out?" Liam asked as tears of pain rolled down his face. He had not cried since he was a child, even in all the anguish of his adult years he had never shed a tear. But he could not stop these tears, they were being pulled from him.

"Because you Liam… are exactly like me." Liam growled in his throat and looked at him with angry eyes, "Oh don't like that do you… alright let me explain better.

Elza sat down on the floor and dragged Liam to rest across his lap, Liam was to weak to protest. Liam lay there on his side across the man's lap as he stroked his skin and his hair. As Elza ran his fingers down Liam's arm he felt it burning him and he gritted his teeth.

"You see… I never WANTED to be the devil. I was completely fine being in God's little group of goody goody friends. But I misspoke you see. God hates when people do that… long story short I ended up down here. But let me tell you, I am not some horrible creature made from the fires of some cursed place. I am a regular man who has been sent down here to watch over the sinners of God's fabulous Earth. I hate him for this punishment… and I am jealous of all those angles that get to live up there in freedom and light. And I am angry with others and myself for my current location and job. And I envy the humans for being able to have a choice. I didn't have a choice and to this day I still don't. I can't do good things and get myself back in good graces. I could save a baby from a fire, or give my life to save a little girl… I could show mercy and love to those shipped down here… but I would still be stuck down here in this Hell hole... this dark ugly smelly place."

He stood just then and Liam's head slammed onto the floor. He tried to sit up but suddenly was unable to move. He was then lifted into the air by invisible hands and placed on the bed. He couldn't move, he lay there on his back arms at his side. The devil removed his shirt but left on his pants. He came to lie next to Liam on his back as well, arms behind his head.

"When I first saw you in the bar that night you bit off my nose…. I thought you were just another shmuck… another drunken idiot. I challenged you just to piss you off. Afterwards I planned to jump you and burn you up a bit for the injury you caused me. Don't get me wrong the nose grew back only a few minutes after you bit it off… it was the principle of the thing." Elza laughed for a second and then fell silent; Liam lay there feeling awful. The bed sheets stuck to his skin and he felt like he may pass out from the heat. "But then I heard you talking to… what was her name… Sarah."

Liam felt his heart sink at the mention of Casper's mother… the woman he had loved for so long with out yielding.

"You begged her to reconsider, to love you instead and marry you…" Elza laughed, "But you were drunk and covered in blood… you smelled like shit and you knew deep down she would never have you. You told her about all your feelings, how you hated your brother, your family, all about the envy and jealousy and regret and bitter emotions that flowed through you. How you had been thrown from the family home in an attempt to get it across to you how bad you were behaving. I connected to you that night… you and I were feeling the same thing… and our families had cast us both out in an attempt to make us understand. But we never did understand did we?"

Liam closed his eyes tight and shuttered, "No we didn't." he answered through gritted teeth.

"No… we did not." Elza repeated, "You grew more and more drunk…gambled away all the money just to spite them for their neglect. And then when Sarah got pregnant you lost it… it consumed you and I had never felt more pity for any human. When you called to someone for help… I was giddy as a schoolboy… I just never imagined I would get you in the flesh… you're a harsh negotiator."

Liam felt Elza lick at the wound he had created on his shoulder and Liam let out a whimper.

"Don't you worry, it won't always hurt… one day it will feel really good I promise."

"The promise of the devil isn't worth shit…I hate you." Liam said between clenched teeth.

"I know… and it's wonderful. I've spent so many years alone, so many years sleeping, eating, and punishing alone. But not now, not now that I have you, we were made for each other. Welcome back to sin."

Liam thought of Kathryn, he thought of her smile and her smell and her taste and how she felt as he had worked her over the night they had made love. If he had ever managed to love someone again after Sarah it would have been her. They could have been so happy together… he would have made them happy… more pain rushed through his body and he cried out as Elza drank his emotions like they were tea.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Do we have everything we need?" Kat asked her mother who was standing on the balcony in the Library.

"I think so… you have the eight black wax candles right?"

"Yup."

"The salt ring to keep him in one spot?"

"Yup."

"The symbols written in blood?"

"Chicken blood works right?" Kat asked.

"Hope so. What about the spell."

"Yeah about that…" Kat started.

"All you have to do is make up your own summon that states exactly who you need and what you need them for. It works just fine… you don't need one from some fancy book."

"Well that's good… but why do I have to write it?"

"Because Kathryn you are the one summoning him."

"Fine." Kat said with a sigh. The Library had been rearranged in a way so that there was a large space in the middle. The candles made a circle and around them on the outside the salt ring was being poured by Casper. Stinkie had followed the drawings that Amelia had made on a piece of paper and was now drawing them in the four divided areas of the circle. He was using the chicken blood and Kat hoped it would come up off the old floor when this was all over.

"Okay then… give me a few minutes and we will get this thing going." Kat went over to the desk that was pushed up against the wall and leaned over a piece of paper writing quickly.

"I honestly can't believe I agreed to this." Dr. Harvey said looking at Amelia, "You had to… you had no choice."

"B-but Amelia… she is our baby." James said looking down at Kat. "She's been home less then a month and she has been through so much… to much for a girl her age."

"She's twenty-five James. She has done pretty well for herself all things considered… I mean she was a virgin up until a few nights ago… most girls lose that in High school."

"A few nights ago?" James said looking at the woman with wide eyes.

"It's okay, I gave Stretch Permission… he asked first it was really very sweet."

"Stretch?" Dr. Harvey said, his temper that rarely ever came forth was coming now at a rate Amelia had not expected.

"She's an adult!" Amelia said in her own defense, "In the end she would have done it anyway!"

"Of all the people to say yes to… you go and say yes to the leader of the ghostly ASS HOLES!"

"Watch your temper now." Amelia said in a warning tone.

James instantly took a deep breath and looked at his dead wife, "If you were alive I wouldn't be so…. Understanding."

"Angelic wisdom does wonders doesn't it?" Amelia asked with a smile

"Okay I have the summoning thing… so we just what? Sit around and I read it?"

"No no, this isn't like the stuff you've seen on tv, you stand around it, don't touch each other at all, your souls are the pillars that help hold up the field that will keep him from striking out. If you touch each other the energy will over load and you will lose him." Amelia said.

"Great, you hear that boys, no touching." Kat said.

Stinkie and Fatso nodded, they had been less vocal recently since Liam had been taken. At this point Kat doubted they would ever speak again if they didn't get Liam back.

"Okay, once this starts I can't help you anymore Kat, you will be on your own." Amelia said sadly.

Kat nodded and looked to Casper. "Hit the lights." The white ghost hit the lights and they were plunged into darkness with the exception of the candles that glowed. They cast shadows and eerie gloom around the room.

"Here goes nothing, Elza I summon you from Hell, and request an audience with you to speak, about a certain lover of mine, whose freedom I seek. Come forth to this circle here, and let me see your face, you must come I feel you near, enter onto this place."

For a moment nothing happened, Kat looked in the circle and even outside it wondering if perhaps her spell had been too childish. Suddenly there was a popping noise and then fire rose in the middle of the circle. They all stared, no one saw but Amelia stepped back.

"Well well, Stretch was right… he said you and the little ghost would come for him." Elza said with a smirk.

The fire slowly died down and Elza went to take a step. He was instantly pushed back, "You put up a barrier. Clever. But don't think it will hold me forever."

"We don't need forever… just five minutes of your time."

"Speak." The devil said as if he was already bored with the situation.

"You took someone that doesn't belong to you. And we want him back."

"Tut Tut Kathryn. Liam DOES belong to be… we made a deal a long time ago… he is rightfully mine and I plan to keep him."

"We want to make a deal with you. A bet actually for his soul, for his life." Kat said trying to look braver then she felt.

"A bet… well that's not original or anything. Okay… what do you want to bet."

"I will play you in a game… for Liam's soul and if I win you give us Liam back… alive, untouched, and you never bother him again."

"High stakes… there better be something equally good if I win." The devil leered.

"You can keep Liam… along with me and Casper."

The devil stared at her but didn't say or do anything, he just stood there as if he was a computer and he was processing.

"Two for the price one." The devil finally said.

"Yes, you only have one thing to lose and everything to gain." Kat said looking around at the ghosts in the circle. They all looked at her with sad eyes.

"And what would the name of the game be?"

Kat thought a moment, did she really think her chess skills were that good? Could she really pull this off? She had to because there was no choice in the matter.

"Chess." Kat said swallowing slowly.

"Chess… no gold fiddle, no game of jacks… or checkers. I've been challenged to a lot of games but nothing as logical as chess. Perhaps I did underestimate Liam's family. The game is old, and usually it isn't the game of the youth. But you seem very level headed. I suppose that will do… very well… chess it is. Since you have challenged me you are allowed three requests… choose careful."

Kat was surprised; she hadn't expected that… what did she want…. "I want to have the game in this room, I want to use my chess bored, and I want one hour alone with Liam so I can discuss with him my strategy. He is my teacher and since as you say I am at a disadvantage with my age I would like time to discuss my strategy with someone who knows better."

Once again the devil looked like he was processing these requests. Whether or not they would go through was something Kat was waiting for.

Finally the Devil looked at her and said, "I will allow all requests… however… when Liam is brought fourth I will not relive him of his suffering. He has begun his thousand year cleansing, and I won't delay his suffering just for this little inconvenience. When you see him do not try to help him or stifle his pains. Any attempts will make our deal null and void. Is that clear young Kathryn?"

Kat nodded slowly despite the fact this made her want to cry, what did the devil mean by this? How was Liam supposed to help her if he was in pain?

She would just have to wait and see, the devil bowed to Kat and she bowed back and as the protective field disappeared so did the Devil. They all stood there looking at her like she was crazy. At this point she couldn't blame them.

**A/N: What do you think! I am so excited I am almost done with this story. R&R**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Whelp, this should be the last chapter. I may have an epilogue! I have seriously enjoyed writing this story and I seriously hope you all enjoyed it. Eventually I plan to go back and fix this story up but first I have to finish writing the other stories I have. Anyway, enjoy what is left of War! **

**Chapter 21**

"Okay, I think I am in trouble." Kat said looking at the large group who sat around the table in the kitchen.

"Oh really? Why is that?" Stinkie said lying curled up like a cat on top of the garbage can.

"I've really been thinking it over in my head…I don't know if I can beat the devil." She said nervously twisting her fingers.

"I have confidence in you." Casper said flying over.

"Yeah besides, you beat Stretch… not even Casper's dad could do that and he was a genius."

"But that is the problem. The reason I am in trouble is because…" Kat took a deep breath. "I didn't beat Stretch. He let me win."

A gasp was what Kat expected but when nothing came she opened her scrunched eyes and peeked at the group. They all just sat (or floated) there and stared at her. She was pretty sure no one was breathing, that needed to at least, and the tension in the room had doubled.

"W-what do you mean he let you win?" Dr. Harvey said.

"He… he let me win so he could in a way sort of blackmail me. I wouldn't have to admit defeat and in return I had to you know… kiss him."

Dr. Harvey practically had steam coming out of his ears, "That no good transparent floating rat bastard!"

"Daddy!" Kat said shocked. She had never heard him talk to harshly. It was a horrible shock and she wasn't at all sure she liked this side of her father.

"So let me guess, he creamed you. Beat you so bad you couldn't stand it. And in return for not making you admit the fact you're a compulsive idiot he took the fall?" Stinkie asked. His voice had so much anger in it, and frustration.

"Pretty much." Kat said.

"So there is NO chance in you saving Liam is there?" Fatso asked.

"Not if Elza is anywhere near as good as Liam." She said sighing and sitting down.

"What were you thinking? Challenging him to chess! You're a fool!" Stinkie said throwing an old banana peel at her.

"Hey! I had a plan! I knew how I could win!" Kat protested.

"Oh yeah! How?" Stinkie barked.

"When I had requested the devil to allow Stretch up I thought maybe I could get him to poses me." Kat said.

"But Stretch isn't dead anymore. You'd have to kill him." Casper said.

"That was the plan, once I killed him I was going to allow him to posses me, win the chess game and then we would be set. Stretch could just remake the serum and become human again."

"Well why is that plan suddenly so unacceptable?" Dr. Harvey asked.

"Because, Elza said that if I tried to end his suffering the deal we made would be null and void. Was I the only one listening?" Kat snapped.

They all sat in silence a long time, Kat eventually taking up a chair by her father and leaning on his shoulder. Despite his age he felt like a rock. He was stiff and frozen; it was obvious he was still sore about the whole Stretch incident.

"I think I have an idea." Came a soft voice from the end of the table.

Everyone looked at Amelia and she sat there staring at the table in one spot, as if the wheels in her head were turning to fast for her to follow.

"What is it mom?" Kat asked hopefully.

"Elza said that if YOU tried to relieve Liam of his pain or suffering then the deal would be off right?"

"Yes."

"Then have someone else kill him." She said softly.

Everyone stared at her, perhaps out of shock of the idea of it. "Who?" Kat asked.

"I will." Came Kat's father.

"What? Dad, I couldn't ask you to do that." Kat said.

"You don't have to… I owe him a good little jab here and there." He said, she noticed his fists tighten under the table; his knuckles were white.

"I don't know if this will work guys… I mean… what if Elza notices that Liam is missing…what if he decides he wants Liam in the library or if he wants to send him back to you know… down there… and all of the sudden my uncle isn't around." Casper said.

"Your right… we would need someone to stand in." Amelia said.

"Right… because Elza won't notice if Liam is suddenly a fat ass ghost or a ghost that smells like garbage or even an angel with a sexy red dress." Stinkie said from the corner, he seemed a little less angry but the doubt still emitted from him like a wave.

"We will just have to make sure we copy Liam's appearance down to the very last hair on his head then." Amelia said in a determined voice.

"Copy?" Kat asked.

"I will explain in a minute, Stinkie I need you to go and get me something of Liam's…. something that he hold very dear… an object… anything that he never let out of his sight."

They all stared at Amelia like she was crazy; perhaps that was where Kat got it from.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Liam felt his anger subsiding as Elza related to him the story of the summoning.

"I really didn't think they had it in them to summon me. I was surprised honestly because dead people don't usually summon me. It was interesting, the protective field was much stronger then if it had just been humans. It was a very fascinating experience. You'll never guess what she challenged me in."

Liam pulled at the chains that burned his skin and tried not to cry out, "She wants to battle me in the game of chess. Poor pathetic girl, doesn't she know she can't beat me at a game of logic. I am older then Earth, almost older then time. Only God is older then me. She won't last thirty seconds."

Liam sighed, "However… I did allow her one lifeline; perhaps it will make the game more exciting. You are going to be allowed to see her." Liam looked up in shock.

"She has requested your guidance. And I will allow one hour of your time with her so that you may attempt to make this game more worthy of note."

Liam looked down in shock; perhaps Kathryn had something up her sleeve. Or perhaps they were all shit out of luck.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Kat slowly walked into the library, she had kissed her father and had been blessed by her mother and Stinkie and Fatso had promised they wouldn't enter the library while invisible. Kat had turned last to Casper to see the little ghost staring at her with sad eyes, "You are part of this deal too… you can come in if you want." Kat had said.

"I want to stay out here… I don't know if I could control myself around him if I saw him again. Not after what he did to you."

"Okay." Kat had said swallowing.

Now that she was in here alone she grew antsy, she looked at the floor where she had had the séance. Blood and salt were still on the floor; cleaning it up and getting it off the floor seemed to be the least of her worries now.

She pulled the chess bored away from the window and put the two chairs on either side, she wondered if their plan would work. If everything would go the way they had discussed.

As she turned she smelled sulfur and a heat washed over her body, she ran right into the devil and fell back in surprise. Two gentle arms caught her and she looked up to see Liam's burned face looking down at her.

"Oh God." She whispered in shock.

Liam gently picked her up and she looked him up and down, his pants were ragged and torn, no other clothes adorned his broken body; burns and cuts and bruising everywhere.

"Bastard." Kat said turning to look at the devil.

"Now now kitty Kat no hissing, retract the claws." Elza said with a smirk.

"Don't you dare call me that." Kat said. She only allowed Liam to call her that, that was her name from HIM.

"You better relax now or you won't when you play." Elza said walking to sit down in a chair.

"What are you doing?" Kat asked.

"Waiting for the game…" Elza said with a smirk.

"No no, you said I'd have an hour alone with him. If we go over strategy with you in the room and you hear anything… it's not fair." Kat snapped with anger.

"What if I promise to make myself completely deaf?" Elza said sweetly.

"Nope, I don't trust you… no offence. Out please." Kat said trying to sound casual about it.

Elza sighed and rolled his eyes, "Fine, but don't expect it to help any." He evaporated and soon Kat and Liam were alone.

She ran to him and kissed him as gently as she could, his lips were cracked with covered in dry blood but she didn't care.

"Easy Kat." Liam said with a wince.

"I'm sorry, I've missed you…"

"So… what's the plan." Liam whispered.

"You're never going to believe it." Kat whispered back as they heard a soft knock on the library door.

"Trust me, after the time I've had, I'll believe anything."

0000000000

Kat sat in the Library and waited by the chess table, Liam stood next to her pointing out a piece on the chess bored.

"Times up." Elza said as he appeared in the chair across from Kat.

Liam looked up at him and sneered, "Come come Liam, no sad faces now. Go sit somewhere until I need you… perhaps you'd like to go visit with the rest of your family? I won't stop you." Elza said using a hand to shew him away. He looked at Elza and with a tight glare said, "I am staying to watch." He went and sat in a chair near by and sat down, arms across his chest, one leg crossed over the other.

"As you wish, why should I deny you the pleasure of watching Kat fail before your eyes? Are you ready my dear."

"Lets just play." Kat said.

"Let's." And so the game began.

Ooooooooooooo

"They've been in there for hours… maybe we should go in and check." Casper said.

"No, they all know what they are doing, we have to trust them now Casper." Dr. Harvey said.

Stinkie and Fatso sat on the wide wooden steps that led to the upper floors, they both had their chins resting her their hands, "Perhaps Elza had already won." Stinkie said.

"You must have more faith in them then that. With out your faith they don't have a chance." Dr. Harvey counter argued. He knew the hopelessness of the situation but he refused to give up.

Suddenly the library doors opened and Kat came out looking exhausted, they all stared at her and waited, "Water." She said, she walked across the floor, pushed through the kitchen doors and disappeared. They waited; she came back out with a glass of water and walked back across, "Still playing." She said, she closed the library doors and all was silent again.

0000000

This was it, after seven hours, a million leg and back cramps, a constant urge to pee and four glasses of water had passed by Kat was three moves from winning. She just had to hope the devil didn't see it. How could he not see it, it was right in front of his face, then again he was pretty focused on his castle and rook.

Kat had a knight, one pawn, and her king and queen, the devil had his king three pawns and his rook and bishop. The turning point of the game was when Kat had taken his queen, Elza had started to really try after that and she had been sweating bullets just to try and keep up.

"You know, this is a very good game, I never gave you enough credit. You are skilled for one so young. Had you ever done any competitions prior to this?" Elza asked, the tone in his voice put Kat on alert, _he knows something was going on_! Kat thought.

_Her move_

"Um, one or two… never came in first… usually second or third… but I really enjoy the game." Kat said trying to keep her eyes on the bored, she was a terrible liar, and if the Elza was as clever as he claimed all he had to do was watch her pupils dilate.

"Ah… I see… well the ones you lost to must have been incredible… you are playing like one who has had years and years of practice."

_His move. _

"Yes well, I've lived here since I was very young and Liam has taught me a lot of things. He is a very very gifted Chess player." Kat said glancing at Liam who looked at her and raised his eyebrow.

Elza glanced over and Liam glared.

_Her move… just one more move…_

"Indeed… I played him once in chess, he never knew it was me… in fact it was right before the nose issue. He almost beat me, came very close, in fact the bored is very similar to his that night. He must have taught you all his moves as well?" Elza asked giving a very scary little smile, his eyes darted to Liam who nodded once.

"H- he did." Kat said trying hard to keep her voice under control, she had to control her emotions too, if she gave to much away then everything would be ruined.

_His move! _

She watched as Elza moved his rook, where would he place it that would decide her fate, the fate of Casper, of Liam.

"Check." Kat's heart sank, at this point all she could do was move her king… her final move was now on hold… but where could she move her king that he wouldn't be taken. She peered at the bored for almost a good ten minutes studying every move possible.

Her heart started to pick up when she noticed she was looking over the same moves again and again, there had to be one way out, some where, and then she saw it, she moved her king quick and looked up at him, her breathing was a little heavy but she wasn't about to give up.

_His move. _

"Nice save." Elza said. He moved his pawn one space up with a smirk and said, "Check." Her heart leaped again but only for a split second when she saw she could take his pawn with her knight, she quickly looked for a con to this action but found none. She took his pawn and glanced at him.

_HIS MOVE! _

He smiled, "You are getting jumpy, nervous?" Kat didn't move, she watched as his hand slowly slid to his bishop and it moved to the far side of the bored, it was a pointless move with the exception that not that the bishop was out of the way his castle could move in. But by then it would be to late.

Kat felt the smile grace her lips; she felt her heart flutter with relief. She grabbed her Queen and shoved it forward.

"Check mate." She said looking at him, her hand was shaking so bad she felt like she might throw up right there.

Elza studied the bored for a long moment and then looked up at Kat, "Congratulations Kathryn… you have bested me." She breathed a sigh of pure release and slowly stood, her legs were like rubber. She looked at Liam and ran to him, his smile was huge and he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close.

"Liam come now, it's time to go." Elza said pushing his chair back and standing. Kat spun around and stared at him.

"I won! You leave Liam here." Kat said.

"You did win, but not fair and square… you cheated… and therefore you fore fit."

"What?" Kat shrieked.

The library doors opened as Dr. Harvey, Casper, Stinkie and Fatso came in. "What's going on? Did someone win?"

"Kathryn won, but she cheated." Elza said. The group looked at her in shock and she ignored them to stare at Elza defiantly.

"How did I cheat Elza, tell me."

"First off, that is not Liam…" Elza said pointing to the man standing next to her, "Who or what ever that is reeks of heavenly scents… I am no fool."

Suddenly Amelia stood next to Kat and took hold of her hand, "Wonderful a sense of smell you have." Amelia bit.

"All the better to find you with my dear." Elza turned his attention back to Kat, "You also ended his suffering… you killed him. I felt it… I have been drinking his blood… he is tied to me now… if he dies I feel it. I felt the instant the dagger entered his heart… that means he was probably helping you the whole time. Come out come out where ever you are Liam…"

Kat felt like her whole body was going to explode as Stretch shot from her body, she lay on the floor and stare up, she felt like her entire body had been drained of energy, perhaps a side effect of such a long possession. Her parents rushed to her side and helped her stand up. They wrapped her arms around their shoulders and helped her stand to face Elza.

"You are a ghost now, and still such a fool. You betrayed me… I know how hard that must have been you weak little selfish bastard. I give you a choice, either you go brew up some serum and take on your human form again… or I take Kathryn, eat Amelia's light from her spiritual soul, and peel the skin off of Dr. Harvey's bones."

"Actually… I choose neither of those… because you lost, fair and square, we didn't break any rules and you never tried to stop us."

"What are you talking about Liam." Elza said with a venomous growl.

"Kathryn didn't kill me, Dr. Harvey did… and you said exclusively, only Kat couldn't end my suffering, you never specified any one else in this house was bound to the same standards. And as for me helping her with the game… I didn't… she played the entire game on her own… the only thing I did was make sure she kept her emotions under control… and I kept her from rushing her moves."

"WHAT?" Both Kat and Elza screamed at the same time.

"That's right Kitty Kat, that game was all you… you had the talent for the game from the beginning, your only flaws were acting upon a move before you thought about it and not looking ten moves ahead. You just needed to slow down and focus on the bored. You beat him fair and square."

Kat felt her eyes grow heavy and in less then a split second she passed out, whether from shock, or exhaustion she had no clue. The last thing she heard before she lost everything was a shriek that sounded like a dog being pinned on a stake. She shivered as the glorious darkness claimed her mind.

OOOOOOOOOO

Her eyes fluttered open just as the curtains in her room were pulled wide, sun streamed in and she winced and moaned, "God… my head… I think I am going to throw up." She said covering her eyes and whimpering.

"That is to be expected, possession drains both you and the ghost that happens to be inside you… but it's the fleshy that really gets their butt kicked." Kat's eyes flew open despite the brightness and she sat up like lightning, Liam sat in a chair near the window. He was dressed and his face was beautiful once again. Not a single burn, cuts or bruise was seen on him, and his clothes looked new.

Kat sprung from the bed and rushed to him, "What did I miss!" She asked as her lips collided with his, she kissed him so hard she was afraid she might hurt him.

He pulled her back and said, "Not much, an epic battle of good versus evil, angels descending from on high, demons coming fourth in pillars of hell fire, the devil and god going head to head and a big apocalypse type moment."

Kat stared at him and her brow wrinkled together, "I really hope you are joking."

"Of course I am you stupid silly little girl." Liam said rolling his eyes.

"You know what, after the past couple weeks I wouldn't be so sure. I just played the devil in a chess game… what three hours ago… no way the whole apocalypse things wasn't far off."

"Guess again." Liam said playing with a strand of her hair.

"What?"

"Longer then three hours." He said looking into her eyes.

"Five?"

"Nope."

"How long was I out?" Kat asked.

"Longer then twenty-four and less then a month."

"Gee, thanks." Kat said standing and stretching.

"You were out for a week and a half." Came a voice from behind. Kat froze, that voice, she knew that voice. It was different and yet it was the same. She slowly turned and saw before her a little blonde boy with bright blue eyes.

"Casper?" She said softly, the smile told her enough and she rushed forward hugging him to her chest.

"I can't believe it… you look just like you did at the dance all those years ago… except the clothes and all… you look… great!" She hugged him again and he hugged her back tightly.

Just then talking came from down the hall, well, more like bickering and two men Kat had never seen before rounded the doorway and walked right in.

"Well well, if it isn't the little fleshy, all woken up and ready to rejoin the land of the living." That voice was familiar as well, but not quit as annoying as it normally was, a slight Irish accent perhaps?

"Haven't seen you since the devil tried to kill us… want some breakfast?" the other man said.

"Stinkie? Fatso?"

"The names Rory, and this is Alec. Don't you think we are handsome?"

"Well… yes… actually I do." Rory had copper hair, with golden brown eyes and a crooked smile. His buckteeth where no where near as bad as they had appeared when he had been a ghost. He was shorter then Alec by a good foot but still had a tall appearance due to his thin wiry frame.

And what to say about Alec, he sounded like Fatso, talked like Fatso, but the big old Fatso belly just wasn't as big as she had expected. He reminded her more of a tank then anything else. Sure he was heavy, but in the big boned or slightly chunky way. He had dark brown hair, green eyes and a big old shit eating grin on his face.

"A lot has happened in the two weeks you were asleep." Liam said coming to stand beside her.

"Week and a half." Casper corrected.

"Shut it blonde." Liam said playfully.

"From bulb head to blonde… great." He murmured.

Dr. Harvey walked in just then and came straight through the crowd, his limp seemed heavier but he made it to her nonetheless and took her up into his arms.

"Oh honey, I am so glad you are alright. After you passed out things got bad… I just can't believe you are okay." Kat hugged him back for a moment and then pulled back.

"Got bad… what do you mean?" Dr. Harvey looked at the others and they all looked down in sadness.

"Honey… I… Elza… he… he got your mother."

OOOOOOOO

"What happened after I passed out?" Kat asked. They all sat around the kitchen table, each with a drink or some kind. Casper had milk, Rory, Alec, Liam, and Dr. Harvey had coffee and Kat had hot cocoa.

She had stopped sobbing about twenty minutes ago and was now determined to keep a strong enough expression to make it through this conversation. She needed to know what happened to her mother.

"Elza tried to take me after you passed out, but he couldn't because he rightfully had no claim to me. The powers above wouldn't let him take someone he had no claim to." Liam said with a grateful smirk.

"When he found out he had no claim to me or you or Uncle Liam, when he found out he really had lost he started to destroy the library, lighting and fire and wind, everything was flying everywhere…" Casper said.

"He was screaming in some language none of us had ever heard." Dr. Harvey continued.

"He was one pissed of devil." Rory added stirring his coffee with his finger, he licked his finger and stared into the dark liquid.

"So… your mother… being the angel she was, and of course being our guardian, dropped to her knees and started to pray." Dr. Harvey said looking down, everyone saw the water forming in his eyes but none said a word.

"Some how, we don't know how or even what the hell it was, she opened some kind of door… some kind of thing, maybe a portal…and ran at him. She shoved him through… but he grabbed her and yanked her in…" Alec said sniffing sadly.

"So… she went through a spiritual door with the devil… and she never came out?" Kat asked.

At this point everyone was looking down, depression and sadness filled the room. Kat looked at them but when no one said a word she slowly stood and took her mug with her. She wanted to see the library for herself.

OOOOOOOOOO

Kat sat out in the gardens, tears slowly pouring from her eyes. It had been three months since Elza had been destroyed. And though she was happy, at the same time she missed her mother. She had so many questions, like how on Earth could her mother open a portal of any kind? How could the devil had been so angry when he had lost fair and square. What had given Kat the ability to win that damn chess game when her whole life she only ever played seriously twice. Once against Liam and once against the Devil, nothing made sense, nothing really ever had.

Now that she was actually thinking about it she realized she never knew what had happened to Eddy? The crazy grey ghost had disappeared and hadn't been seen since the volcano. Had Elza taken him? Had he flown off to haunt some place of his own, would he ever come back?

Where had Ashley gone too, would reporters be just around the corner? Her mother had been an angel… and yet she had been able to shift her appearance and make portals? Kat had never ever in her whole life heard of an angel ever being able to do that.

Maybe the God's from mythology but never an angel. How much of the world and beyond did humans really know nothing about? And the biggest question that plagued her mind was, would she EVER see her mother again?

Her sadness flooded from her, she felt like perhaps she was killing the garden with all the negative emotion that was melting off of her. She sniffed and wiped her eyes, her mother was doomed to spend forever in some alternate reality with the devil. What if he had eaten her angelic soul or something? How much pain could she be in right now?

She sighed and tried to keep herself from getting sick, so many good things had happened, but was the price of losing her mother worth the end result of having the rest of her family alive again.

Though not related by blood, the ghostly trio and Casper had become her family, and now they were all human, more family then Kat had ever had, and her and Liam couldn't be happier. But her mother… the sacrifice was almost to much.

Suddenly a large wind blew Kat's hair about and she dropped the mug she was drinking from. It spilled all over the white gravel and she looked around. Nothing she could see, but the win was warm, perhaps a front was moving through. She bent down to pick up her mug and saw a piece of paper lying on the ground next to it.

Kat carefully picked up her mug and set it beside her on the concrete bench. She grabbed the folded piece of paper and slowly opened it with trembling hands.

_My Dearest Kathryn, _

_I wanted to come to you myself but I am a little busy at the moment. I finally earned my wings, as clique as that sounds. No, they are not giant bird wings… it's a metaphorical thing… When I dropped to my knees to pray it was for the protection of everyone in the room, God was kind enough to send a solution. No, angels cannot open portals back to Hell. That was God's fabulous doing; he is a sneaky deity. As soon as I am needed God said I shall be returned to you and your father and your permanent guardian angel. Which means I can come and go, but I have a lot of training to do… and paper work… can you believe there is paper work in Heaven? Anyway… You thinking that I was lost or hurt, or that I had abandoned you tore at my heart. Elza is back where he belongs but with my sacrifice I gained a straight shot back to Heaven. Awesome huh? I needed to let you know not to worry my dearest one; I will come see you and your father sometime soon. After all, I can't miss my own daughters wedding. _

_Love always, _

_Mom _

**R&R I really hope you guys enjoyed this story. It is officially complete. And now, on to finish the rest of my stories! Love you all! I really hope you got out of this what you were hoping foR! **


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